


The Day The Adults Disappeared

by PonderRose



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure, F/M, Falling In Love, Heroine's Journey, Love, Love Triangles, Missing Persons, Mystery, Passion, Possessive Behavior, Protectiveness, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Romance, Single Parents, Teenage Drama, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 85,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23997619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PonderRose/pseuds/PonderRose
Summary: One day, all the kids wake up to learn that all adults have vanished on the Isle of the Lost and Auradon without a trace. Mal is determined to bring them back. Mal's history with her parents is reversed here; Hades raised her as a single father after Maleficent left. Harry has a temper and is very protective of Mal in this story. Two Love Triangles. HarryxMal, BenxMal, HarryxUma.
Relationships: Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants), Harry Hook/Mal, Harry Hook/Uma
Comments: 5
Kudos: 99





	1. The Last Night Before

(Author’s Note: All characters in this story are from cartoon Disney movies (no Pixar or live action) and Greek mythology. Main villains in this story come from Pinocchio and The Black Cauldron)

I had just finished cleaning upstairs. I came down to find Daddy snoozing on the couch; his forearm was resting over his eyes as he laid on his back and snored softly. Typical. Wearing a smile, I set down my cleaning supplies and went to give my father a peck on the cheek. He awoke with a little jerk. 

“Mal?” Daddy gazed up at me with sleepy eyes. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you. I’m just done with my cleaning now,” I straightened up my back. Daddy rubbed his hand over his face in a tired fashion. “Oh, alright. So what’re ya’ gonna do now?” 

Before I could answer, a regal vulture flew into the main room through the window. I recognized it at once to be from my cousin, Ares, back on Olympia. The bird had a package in its beck addressed to me. While I went to retrieve it, Daddy groaned tossing his head back. “Nugh, not again. Can’t those “deities” ever just leave you alone?” He spat unimpressed. “They’re your family, Daddy. Besides, it’s from your nephew- Ares.” “Yeah; the only relative I don’t hate,” his hand tossed up into the air.

I’ve always had a weird relationship with my father’s side of the family. On the one hand, Daddy was banished to the Isle of the Lost- along with all the other defeated villains. But on the other hand, I was Hades’s only child and a demi-god myself. Having divine blood coursing through my veins set me apart from the other villain kids, or VKs as we were known, in my relatives’ eyes. Consequently, and against my father’s wishes, they took pity on me and played an active role in my education. Where most VKs received no formal education whatsoever, my cousin Athena taught me to read and write in several languages- but mainly in Greek. I was trained in the classics and taught formal logic as well as mathematics. They also did the upmost to ensure that I wouldn’t turn out like my villainous father. My paternal relatives were determined that I would be good, even if I could never leave this god-forsaken island. As a result, I didn’t really fit in with the other kids- or adults- here. 

I opened up the brown paper package to reveal a golden fleece inside. That’s just what it was: a fleece made entirely of gold- even the thread was gold. Knowing my divine relatives, I knew that this was no ordinary fleece either. It probably had magical powers of some sort; whatever those may be. Daddy glanced over disinterested as I held it up in full view. He tisked. “A shirt? What’re you supposed to do with that? ‘Ooooooh, it’s made of gold; it’s fancy!’ Big deal. Not like you can wear that anywhere here.” I gave him one of those daughterly looks. “It was very thoughtful of him to send it to me……. for some reason.” “Hey, yeah. Why would war-boy give you that randomly? It’s not your birthday. Were those lousy Fates talking to him again?” “You know the Fates don’t just “talk” to the gods like that. No, there must be some other reason……..” I scanned it up and down curiously. 

Daddy watched me for a moment before throwing his head back again. “Whatever. Leave it to that brainless oaf to send you something so useless.” “I’m going to write him a “thank you” letter nevertheless,” I set the golden garment down. I then petted the vulture would had been studying me intently this whole time. I gotta admit, I adored my immortal relatives; including cousin Hercules, Megara, and Phil. They were always so generous with me, even if I didn’t understand their gifts sometimes. 

“Where’re you off to, pumpkin?” Daddy called out to me as I next went to put on my shoes. “Is it ok if I go out on a walk? I won’t be long!” “Sure. Just be careful, ok squirt?” “Got it! I’ll be back soon. Love you!” “Yeah, yeah; get outta here,” shutting his eyes again, he waved his hand nonchalantly in my direction. I grinned, grasping his meaning. He has his own way of saying “I love you too”. 

I usually went on a walk by myself after dinner. While I had some friends around here, all the cool VKs hung out at Uma’s, to which I was never invited. Uma never really liked me; one of her many nicknames for me was Mally Goodshoes, and that one was on the kinder side. I was just too good in her eyes; not evil enough. Heh, she sounds like my father in that regard. Her friends all partook in the teasing, expect for one……. It was easier and nicer just to be by myself most of the time, such as tonight. 

It was getting really dark out; you could hear noises and rustling all around. Kids screams- playful screams- echoed from a distance. There was no one near where I wandered, or at least not right away. I hadn’t realized how far I’d gotten from home or how close to Ursula’s Fish and Chips. I’d turned a corner and thought it best I start heading for home until……. 

Something caught my sight from the gap in the building in front of me. A large, dark shadow peered out from the corner; it was unaware of my presence at first, but I saw it. I saw it…….. Frozen stiff I stood as the mass shuffled about in front of me. Soon it emerged further into the dull light; it was just bright enough for me to see his red coat. My mouth dropped as I beheld the terrifying site. A large, round man kept walking in the direction opposite me; he was pulling a donkey behind him on a short rope. 

The coachman! My lips couldn’t stop trembling. I don’t think I was more afraid of anyone than him. He was one of those rare free villains; not for lack of consideration but because he’s never been beaten before. Thus, he was able to go anywhere in the Isle of the Lost and Auradon that he liked. It had been years since Pinocchio escaped from Pleasure Island, and the coachman was still snatching up little boys wherever he could get his hands on them. The thought made me both shiver and want to cry. 

The coachman did his best to stay unseen most of the time. Subsequently, he became something of a myth rather than a real threat to the other island inhabitants. But I knew he was real, which was why I was so terrified of him. He wanted kids to believe he didn’t exist- it made his job all the easier. And I know he had no interest in girls; we couldn’t turn into donkeys like boys and were thus useless to him. Plus I was too old to transform into an animal. But there was still good reason to fear him, irrelevant of age or gender. The coachman could make anyone he wanted disappear; that’s what his goons were for. To sell his donkeys and silence anyone who gets in his way. That was enough for me. 

My back pressed up to the closest wall it could find; my frightened stare not leaving the mass of a man. As he dragged the poor donkey along, he made no notice of me. That was until his feet came to an abrupt halt. My stomach leapt into my throat as his head turned around- his cold, calculating eyes were pointing straight at me. My hands started to quiver; I thought I was going to cry. With a considerable pace, I slid my back against the wall to the closest door; I didn’t care who was inside. All I knew was that I had to get away from his monstrous glare. 

The waving door behind me opened and I tumbled backwards into the interior. It took me a second to regain my footing on the ground. I went from oppressing darkness to bright light every which way. My eyes shut for a moment, and then reopened to find that I was somewhere with a nautical theme. It didn’t take me long to comprehend where this was. 

“Yo, Mally Goodshoes!” My feet darted around to find myself facing a bunch of young pirates and sea faring VKs. Uma was the one who called out to me; she was standing on top of a table with Gil on the floor on her left side, and Harry on the right……. Harry. Our gazes immediately met for a second, gawking at each other. My lips parted a sliver. Harry……. 

I’d had a crush on Harry Hook since I was a little girl. When we first met, he acted indifferent towards me. But when his father, Captain James Hook, discovered that Poseidon was my uncle, he forced Harry to play with me. Five-year-old me was ecstatic, overjoyed to play on the beach and pirate ships with him. He was cold initially, but he soon warmed up to me. In return for letting- or making- his son play with me, I asked my uncle for lots of favours for Captain Hook. It was that way for several years. 

However, as we got older, Captain Hook’s option of me soured. I was spending too much time with my “good” Greek relatives for his liking; I wasn’t “evil” enough to be friends with his son anymore. I think he also was growing increasingly concerned since Harry and I were spending more time together on our own accord. When we were twelve, our parents called off the friendship without consulting either of us. In revenge, my god-of-the-ocean uncle sunk several of Captain Hook’s ships, which only enraged him more. Harry became Uma’s right-hand man and joined her crew. I didn’t……… 

We only broke the stare once Uma stomped over to me; her face contorted with annoyance. “What are you doing here, brown-noser? Don’t you know that this place is off-limits to prigs like you?” She spat, planting both hands on her hips. She didn’t hold back any venom in her tone. My eyes were still very, very wide in fear from what lurked just beyond these doors. “T-The coachman! I saw the coachman outside!” I managed to gasp out. 

Uma and none of her lackies said anything for a brief moment, then burst out in a laughing fit. Everyone laughed, except for Harry; he was looking my way with mild confusion and definite concern. After the room finished shaky with mirth, Uma blinked back up to me with a bemused smirk. “You idiot. That’s just a rumour; there’s no such thing as the coachman. Everyone knows that.” Yeah, everyone except the boys he turns into beasts of burden. Her hand reached up to give my shoulder a pat before shoving me back against the wall. By now all patrons had stopped laughing in order to watch the scene. Uma’s head leaned in close to mine; her glare sharpening intently. 

“You get your goody-goody ass out of here, you little brown-noser. This is my territory, and I ain’t going to have you mess it up with your holier-than-thou bullshit,” Uma couldn’t have sounded more hateful. She gave my shoulder another hard push, making me wince a little. “Uma!” Harry called out upset. She responded by peering back at him over her shoulder, then again at me. Only then did she retract her domineering hand. “Get out,” she commanded in a hiss. 

I waited. It took me a second to summon up the courage to nervously push open the door and peak out of the crack onto the road. The silhouette of the man was gone; only the faint sounds of a donkey hee-hawing in the far distance told me it was safe to come out. I knew the creature did that for my sake- it only made me all the sadder for him. With this confirmation though, I was able to finally leave in security. My head spun back in Uma’s direction, then back at Harry. 

Harry, who’d witnessed the whole exchange, had his mouth open like was waiting to say something. He took a single step towards me, his hand lifted slightly up ahead of him. When Uma saw this, she gave him a warning glance. “Uh, Harry? What are you doing?” Her eyebrow rose up suspiciously. Harry’s conflicted eyes drifted from her to me, and I instantly knew what was going on. 

Harry wanted to walk me home; to escort me per se. While I would have loved that, we both knew it was impossible. Uma would never hear of it, plus I think our fathers would be appalled. To save him from explaining himself, I simply smiled at him and turned to leave through the doors. “Bye,” I said more to him than Uma, indirectly letting him know I’d be alright now. “Yeah, you better leave!” Uma had enough time to fire back. 

I was walking down the now very dark road, kicking my feet on the pavement and thinking of Harry. How did it all end up like this? Why did Uma and Captain Hook hate me so much? Was I really that much of a freak? I was the daughter of two of the greatest villains of all time- didn’t that count for anything? Did I really have to act badly for them to accept me? Couldn’t I just be myself? Wasn’t that good enough? Apparently it wasn’t…….. 

The sound of scampering, light footsteps and shadows floating around made me pause. My head tilted up to see nothing at first. Only at first. A familiar voice behind me caused me to jump a little. “Were you looking at Hook’s boy?” I whirled around in a flash, only to let out a deep sigh of relief. “Oh, Peter! You scared me!” My hand rose to my chest as I steadied my breathing. Peter Pan laughed and flew down closer to me. 

Peter Pan was my only friend from off the island; you know, aside from Daddy’s family. Despite his archenemy being sent to the Isle of the Lost, Peter remained in Neverland. I’d never been to Neverland either, so Peter told me all sorts of stories about it, the Lost Boys, and their copious adventures. Wendy, Michael, and John had been gone for a very long time now, according to Peter. That’s why he became friends with me when I was young; he said the sound of my voice reminded him of Wendy’s. More than that, he had the nasty habit of flying to our island on occasion. He thought it was great fun to come explore where all the sinister villains lived. 

Peter flashed me one of his brilliant smiles. “You know, I like that Uma girl. She’s got spunk.” “I’ve told you before, Peter. You just can’t come around here like that. It’s dangerous,” I reprimanded. “Oh, I ain’t scared. I took care of that codfish once before; I can do it again!” “Peter……..” My hand race over my face exasperatedly. He’s just impossible to talk any sense to. 

“Where are you going so late?” The flying boy proceeded to ask me like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Well, I was on my way home now. I just got out for some fresh air.” “Oh, is that all?” Peter inquired. In the blink of an eye, I suddenly felt myself being scooped up off my feet. He held in both arms princess-style. As if acting on instinct, I threw my arms around his neck surprised as we floated there in the air. For a young boy, he was really quite strong! 

“Peter!” “It’ll take too long if you walk. Flying’s much faster!” “Y-You don’t have to do that, really!” “Why? I can carry you and besides, you can’t fly on your own; Tink’s not here with me tonight.” Nugh, I inwardly groaned but didn’t fight it anymore. He was as stubborn as an ox; if he wanted to carry me, I’d be carried. End of story. 

Peter flew high above everyone’s rooftops, out of the public view. I watched the scenery most of the way, though I was mindful of you-know-who. Thinking about him made my arms tighten around Peter’s neck; not that he seemed too bothered by this. I also realized……. Peter was a young boy who loved fun and games and wasn’t too worried about the consequences of anything. Peter…….. My eyes rolled back up to his face. 

“Peter, you really shouldn’t come to the Isle of the Lost. It’s not safe here- I mean it.” “Ah, you worry too much. What’s gonna happen to me here?” He brushed me off, as usual. I didn’t want to bring it up, but…….. I drew in a deep breath. “Peter, I saw the coachman earlier.” 

Peter’s demeanour completely changed, although he kept me steadfast in his arms. His grin instantly melted into a frown and he peered down to me. “He’s here, is he? That scoundrel. He’s taken a few of my Lost Boys before.” “He has?! Oh, Peter; I’m so sorry,” I said. I felt Peter’s grip firm up under me. But sensing my distress, he forced a smirk- a very little, sour smirk. “Oh, he’ll never get me. I just hate him for what he’s done to my boys- that’s all.” “You’re not afraid of him?” Peter didn’t reply, glancing forward instead with a coarse expression. 

“The others think he’s just a rumour, a myth. They don’t think he’s real……..” I rested my cheek on Peter’s shoulder. He took a moment to verbally respond. “Yeah, well…… It just makes his pool of victims wider.” “Peter! That’s horrible!” My lips gasped scandalized. “What? It’s true. If they wanna be picked off, let ‘em. Just so long as he doesn’t get you,” he added with a warm smile. I watched him for a minute before grinning myself. By now, we’d landed outside my house. Peter carefully set me down on my feet and we looked at each other. I should add that even though he was metaphorically younger than me, he was taller than me too. Taller and stronger- go figure. 

“You don’t need to worry about me, Peter. He doesn’t want girls.” “Well, that just shows how stupid he is,” Peter shrugged. “Why do you say that? We can’t turn into donkeys,” I cocked my head puzzled. Peter’s smile at me grew; his eyes softening in their corners. “Who cares about donkeys? He should know one girl’s worth more than twenty boys,” he declared with such poise. No wonder Wendy fell so madly in love with him; he could charm the feathers off a blushing swan. Of course I couldn’t help but smile. “Peter, it’s perfectly lovely the way you talk about girls,” I’d read that line somewhere and was waiting for a time to use it. 

Seriously, why can’t more guys on the island be like him?


	2. The Day The Adults Disappeared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal wakes up to discover that all of the adults are gone.

I woke up to what seemed like a perfectly normal day. The sun was shiny in through my bedroom window and nothing appeared to be amiss. I stretched while in bed and got up. Tying up my purple housecoat, I made my way downstairs to officially begin the day.

"Good morning, Daddy," I chirped as per usual; he was always up before me. It didn't hit me right away that there was no answer. Only when I got into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water did I realize that he hadn't replied yet. "Daddy?" I glanced out to the empty main living space. Curious, I scanned around the place finding no sign of my father.

"Huh, that's weird," I set my cup down onto the counter and walked out into the open space. "Daddy?!" My voice was much louder this time. Still nothing. At this point, I didn't think too much of it. With a little shrug, I turned to finish my water, thinking he must be upstairs. Once my glass was finished, I ascended back up the staircase to find my father. First I checked his room, then the bathroom. He wasn't there either. That meant that he wasn't in the house, since we didn't have a basement or backyard. My hand puzzledly scratched the side of my head as I stood there for a minute.

"He must be out," it occurred to me. I didn't hesitate to go back downstairs in search of a note from him; Daddy always left me notes whenever he left the house without telling me in person. But no such paper turned up. I looked everywhere, only to discover nothing. This only perplexed me more. It wasn't like Daddy just to leave without telling me. He would have woken me up if it was an emergency. I wasn't too particularly worried at present; more just confused than anything. But I quickly decided that he was probably fine. Daddy just went out on a walk or errant or something- I'm sure it's no big deal. He'll be back soon. Confident with that, I went to my room to get myself dressed.

I made breakfast and ate alone; something I wasn't a stranger too. Daddy usually ate first thing when he got up. I still wasn't concerned when there was no sign from Daddy after I was done eating; it'd only been an hour or so. After breakfast, I got some books and paper out and began to do some work. While I didn't have any proper tutelage anymore, I made sure to keep up my studies; my cousin Athena would be mortified if I didn't.

Several hours of reading and studying later, it was lunchtime. My eyes drifted up from my book to the clock, surprised to see that it was already noon. Huh….. I softly shut the cover while lost in thought. It's noon, and there still hasn't been any word from Daddy. Granted, it's only been four hours since I found him missing. My teeth bit my bottom lip anxiously. He's most likely alright; just busy with something right now….. Something that's taking longer than expected. There's no reason to get concerned, I reassured myself. I'm sure everything's ok.

The majority of my afternoon was spent cleaning, with a bit more reading thrown in for good measure. By the time I was done cleaning the whole top floor, it was four o'clock. With a bit of apprehension, I descended the stairs once more to find a bare house. Ok…. I slowly set the broom down, letting the handle rest against the kitchen table. Now I was getting a little alarmed. Daddy's been gone all day without so much as a signal. He left me with no idea where he is or when he'll be back. But no….. My hand lifted up to my mouth in a nervous manner. Daddy wouldn't just leave me like that- he wouldn't. I knew my father and this is not in his character. He must be gone for a reason…. and the longer I waited, the more I feared that something might have happened to him.

Partly to ease my increasingly shaky nerves, and partly to look for my father, I grabbed my jacket and headed outside for the first time today. It took me a while to notice, but the streets were incredibly quiet. Too quiet…. I turned a corner and realized that I hadn't seen or heard anyone since I left my house. My lips unconsciously parted a sliver as I reminded myself to breathe. That's strange…. Very strange. There should be people around; these roads were always busy this time of day. I kept glancing about, hoping to see any semblance of motion. "Where is everybody?" I obviously asked no one in particular.

After a few more steps forward, finally an animated figured appeared from around the bend in front of me. A panicked Evie came out from behind one of the buildings; she was heaving heavily like she'd been running. Our eyes immediately locked once she caught sight of me. "Evie?" My head perked up in the mildest relief- relief and worry as to why she was in such a state. "Mal!" I blinked shocked as she suddenly ran over to me; her body language was frantic and distressed.

"Evie, what's wrong?!" I caught her by both her shoulders, holding her steady. She struggled to speak for a second, continuing to gasp desperately for air. "Mal! Mal, all…. all the grown-ups…. They're all gone, Mal!" She uttered in between gasps. All I could do was gawk at her blindsided for what felt like much too long. Eventually my mouth reopened. "W-What do you mean "gone"? They're not gone…." I had to tack on; it just seemed so impossible to me that they would be gone. The possibilities were that either Evie was right, or Evie was mistaken- and right now, the latter sounded more plausible to me.

I flinched however, when Evie's hands reached up to take hold of my arms; they gave me a sincere, frightened squeeze. The look on her face was so genuine just then. "They're gone, Mal! There're no adults left on the island! They all just…. disappeared somehow!" "Disappeared?" My eyebrow cocked. I still thought Evie was mistaken but the recollection of my father being gone all day lingered in the back of my mind.

Evie nodded hysterically. "I woke up this morning and Mom wasn't there. I thought she might have gone out for a while, but she never came back- no one's parents did!" "What?!" This certainly caught my full, undivided attention. My hands grasped onto her shoulders harder, keeping her firm in place. "All the grown-ups are gone; they're missing! No one knows where they are! All we know is that there's no adults here anymore! We're all alone, Mal!" Her pitch kept getting higher and higher.

It was now that she released my arms, and I followed suit by letting go of her shoulders. My mouth was agape, I stared off into nowhere without thought. My feet began stepping backwards; my hands were starting to tremble. My mind turned into a blank canvass- nothing but pure, endless white. I couldn't mentally process what was just told to me. It didn't seem possible…. These kinds of things were impossible, weren't they? I mean, how can countless grown-ups just disappear all at once like that? Grown-ups… Daddy.

I jumped, letting out a tiny scream as I abruptly backed into something. I spun around, only to be grabbed securely by two strong hands. "Whoa, Mal! Mal!" A stunned Jay was holding me; his expression was startled and troubled. I blinked up at him totally surprised. "Jay?" He didn't do anything, and that's when I saw Carlos beside him. He was watching me with trepidation too. "Jay! Carlos!" Evie ran over to stand with us. Once he knew I was steady on my feet again, Jay retracted his arms. I looked at each of them; my breathing becoming more laborious.

"The grown-ups…. They're not gone….." I stated flatly, still unable to comprehend what was happening. Jay looked at Evie astonished. "She didn't know?!" "I-I just told her!" Evie cried. So it's true then…. My foot slid back a step instinctively. My lips couldn't stop quivering. "No…. No….." Tears formed in the corners of my eyes; I wasn't looking at anyone anymore. Instead my eyes stared off into a space far, far away from here.

My friends all looked quite concerned for me now. Unlike all of them, I had a deep love and adoration for my father. They weren't especially close to their parents, but me….. A single tear rolled down the side of my cheek. Daddy….. Jay's hand rose up in my direction. "Mal…" "It's not true…. He's not gone; he's not." "Mal, listen….."

Before any of them could say another word, my feet dashed around and started running the opposite way. My hands were tight fists and flying out at my sides. I didn't stop until I was home, where I proceeded to run and throw myself onto the couch. Dear god, it still smelt like him… There I stayed for a moment- a long moment- until an idea came to mind. I sat up, wiped my eyes, and walked to stand in the centre of the room. I looked upwards, though I'm not sure why.

"Fates! Fates, can you hear me? It's Mal, daughter of Hades- Lord of the Underworld! I call upon you, Fates! If you can hear me, come to me!" I called out in Greek. I'd never summoned the Fates before; Daddy only did once to get their prediction after my cousin Hercules's was born. Uncle Zeus told me that the Fates aren't supposed to reveal the future to anyone, even divine beings. Fine by me. I didn't want to know the future; I just wanted to know where my father was. Those mystic sisters knew everything, including the present. Since I wasn't going to ask any off-limit questions, I thought they might reveal themselves to me: a demi-god whose father is one of the most powerful gods who ever lived. It was worth a try anyway; I was willing to give anything a try right now.

A moment passed and nothing happened. I sighed utterly devastated when all of a sudden, an arrow with a golden tip flew into the room through an open window. I immediately recognized it to be one of my cousin Artemis's arrows; she was the best shot in the family. Tied to its wood was a folded paper. It read: "The Fates are cutting an inordinate amount of mortals' threads of life at the moment. Postscript- Everyone on Olympia is doing fine."

What?! The Fates are too busy killing people?! The fact that they're cutting more threads now is intensely alarming itself. But it looks like my relatives on Olympia were spared this catastrophe, whatever it was. I guess that's not a big surprise; they are immortal, after all. But….. Hey wait! So was Daddy! He's immortal too. So then where was he? It's literally impossible to kill him. That sets him apart from all other adults in the Isle of the Lost. But there're all gone too….. So his being unkillable must not have made him immune to whatever is going on here. But at least I know he's still alive- wherever he is.

I pulled the arrow out from the beam. My fingers curled around it's centre as I stared down at it. My lips pursed together tightly. He's alive, but he's gone….. All the grown-ups are. It's just their kids left on the island, with no clue as to where our parents went. Well, I don't know at any rate. My jaw clenched together. All I know is that I want him back.

I want my father back!


	3. The Mad Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal gets a very unusual visitor the day after her father disappears.

I cried myself to sleep last night on the couch, thinking only of Daddy. I missed him already; the sound of his voice, his musky natural scent, the way he rolled his eyes all the time and spoke with his hands. They were all little treasures of him that suddenly became so precious to me. Leaving the couch the next day was a chore; I didn’t want to go anywhere unless it was to where Daddy was now. I just missed him so much…….. 

Around six o’clock that evening, the overbearing silence was broken by a knocking on the front door. I opened it as quick as I could, though wasn’t hopeful it would be my father- Daddy always kicked in the door with his boot. Instead, no one was waiting for me outside. My eyes dropped down to see a takeaway bag left on the “unwelcome” mat. Inside the brown paper bag was a box full of hot, fresh food. The bag had a single, hook-sized hold through it; it was obvious who delivered it to me. Grinning ever so slightly for the first time in days, I brought it inside. 

The box was white and had the “Ursula’s Fish and Chips” label on the top of it. Its contents were all my favourites: one piece of battered fish, plenty of chips, curry sauce to dip them in, and mushy peas. Still grinning faintly, my hand rested on top of the box in a tender fashion for a minute. Harry must have wondered if I had eaten today and was worried about it. To his credit, I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch yesterday. While I still wasn’t hungry, I was grateful for his consideration towards me; I know he had to sneak away to bring this to me and paid for it with his own money. Those thoughts alone made me eat it; or not really but rather pick at it anyway. I was still too lost in miserable thoughts to be properly hungry…….. 

I was sitting on the couch with the takeaway box in my lap when all of a sudden, from out of nowhere, there was singing all around me. And I do mean “all around” me. The familiar voice moved from corner to corner of the room with every verse. It was unexpected but not particularly alarming to me. I merely blinked up in the direction where his voice was growing louder. A minute or so later, a smallish figure materialized out of thin air. He was grinning at me, just like he constantly was. 

“Cheshire Cat, it’s you,” I greeted him. “Lose something?” He asked in that sing-songy voice of his. “It’s a good time for you to come around, I guess.” Daddy was never fond of this cat, which is rather odd when you think about it. Regardless, the Cheshire Cat was another free villain whom could come and go as he pleased. Not that I was ever sure if he was actually a villain- he didn’t seem bad to me. More……. mad than anything. When I said Peter Pan was my only friend off the island- excluding my Greek relatives- I deliberately didn’t include him. This is mostly due to the fact that this cat doesn’t live anywhere per se. He’s supposed to reside in Wonderland, but who can be sure. 

“Not hungry?” Still grinning insanely as ever, he peered down to the food on my lap. I honestly didn’t know if he ate; I never saw him eat anything before. I shut the box lid and placed it down beside me. “No, not since my father’s disappeared,” my lips sighed sadly. That’s when lightening struck. I quickly blinked up to him again; he had started singing to himself again all absent-mindedly. 

“Cheshire Cat, do you where my father is?” “Where who is?” “My father- Hades. He’s gone, along with all the other adults on the island. Do you know where they’ve gone?” “Well, that depends, on where they wanted to go,” he replied as if this was the most factual thing. “I……. I don’t think they wanted to go anywhere. I think that……..” “Then, they wouldn’t have gone anywhere.” I looked at him and frowned. I couldn’t be too mad with him, since he is uh, mad himself. Still, talking to him was like an anti-logic lecture. 

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I leaned my back against the couch. Doesn’t look like he’ll be any help, glad as I am to see him. “I don’t know what to do……..” I muttered more to myself than him. “What’s to do?” He inquired rhetorically. “I want to get Daddy back, but I have no clue where he might be. I don’t know where I’d even start……..” “Well, the best place to start is at the beginning. That’s where I always start anything,” he was spinning around merrily now. Boy, someone was amused. I watched him for a moment, thinking to myself. 

“Did you come from Wonderland just now?” I then ventured to ask him. Who knows; maybe he’d give me a straight answer for a change? “Why, yes.” Ok, good; we’re off to a good start. “And has anyone disappeared in Wonderland? Say the Queen of Hearts, perhaps?” She was another free villain able to live off the Isle of the Lost. “Oh no. She decided to play hide and seek yesterday with no seeker- that’s all.” “Ok…….. So, she’s gone too then,” my gaze scrolled off into space. The queen’s also gone; it’s not just villains on the island that vanished. Looks like free adult villains have disappeared as well. Does that mean that the coachman is gone now too? It sounds that way……… Hey, wait a minute! 

“Hey, you’re a villain! Or at least the king and queen of Auradon have determined you as much. How come you haven’t disappeared? Or us, for a matter of fact……..” My eyes trailed out into nowhere a second time thoughtfully. “I’m not an adult; I’m a smile with a cat attached to it.” That’s one way to describe himself, I suppose. But this still gave me pause. “Ok, so it looks like animals were immune. Animals and kids…….. for some reason.” “Or no reason,” the cat tacked on. “Why would it be random, though? It doesn’t make any sense……. It doesn’t make sense that only the villain adults would disappear and the VKs stay behind. Why us? It can’t be random, can it? Someone must want the grown-ups out of the way, but why? And why leave us and the animals behind? It doesn’t make any sense. If someone wanted to wipe evil out of existence, they would have destroyed all of us- not just the adults. I don’t understand……..” 

My verbal train of thought was interrupted by the Cheshire Cat singing out loud again. I stopped to peer up at him, still with confusion written all over my face. “You don’t know anything?” “I know several things,” he grinned back at me. “I mean about our parents!” “Well, if you really want to know, I can tell you that they’re not here.” Oh boy, that’s useful information; my eyes rolled dramatically. “Never mind, I’ll figure something out on my own,” my face rested in the palms of my hands. 

My head only turned up again once he started laughing hysterically. “Cheshire Cat?” “You know, I like you best here,” he proclaimed. This caught me by surprise, making my eyes grow wide. “What makes you say that?” I thought to ask instead of immediately saying “thank you”. I thought for sure he’d like someone like Dr. Facilier more than me. Here I was of the opinion that I’d be too boring for him. But he just kept grinning and twirling around mid-air. 

“You’re mad, like me.” “Mad?! Me? You think I’m mad?” That certainly caught me off guard. I thought I was a lot of things, but crazy wasn’t one of them. Then again, that’s just what an insane person would say. “Of course you’re mad. We both are mad here.” Oh, this is one of his little games. This prompted me to humour him, if only to see how he would explain all of this. “Oh really? How do you know I’m crazy? Pray tell.” “You must be, otherwise I would not have come to you, so you could be mad here with me,” he announced, and my bemused grin began to fade. One thing about the Cheshire Cat is that he entirely honest; he was too loony to lie. He had no use of lying……. So what he said to me had a grain of truth in it. While my grin faded, so did his, followed beforehand by the rest of his body. Seconds later I was left in the room alone again. My lips parted a sliver as I contemplated what he just told me. 

I never thought about it before but why would a creature like the Cheshire Cat come to visit me? He had to come all the way from Wonderland......... Just like Peter Pan and my Greek relatives, he came here to see me. And he believed that I was insane like him…….. Why did he come to me? Why did Peter come? Was I really mad like he said? [“You get your goody-goody ass out of here, you little brown-noser. This is my territory, and I ain't going to have you mess it up with your holier-than-thou bullshit.”] My eyes lowered in sudden understanding. Ok, maybe I am mad, but in a different way than I originally thought. I mean, who chooses to be good when they have opportunity and are encouraged to be evil?


	4. The Start Of A Heroine's Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal decides to go for help on the missing grown-ups situation in an unlikely place.

The silence became domineering by nine o’clock. I longed to hear any sort of familiar sound, whether it be my father’s voice or the Cheshire Cat singing. Anything to break the horrid quiet all throughout the house. When it grew too unbearable, I left without a jacket on. 

All the streets and roads were entirely deserted. If it was silent inside the house, it was taciturn out here. Not much of an improvement, I’d say. I felt much safer going out after dark tonight, since I knew the coachman had vanished alongside the other evil adults. But it was rather a lonely walk, with not another person in sight. I couldn’t help but glance around ponderously. “Where is everyone?” My thoughts carried aloud. I know there were no more grown-ups anymore, but as far as I was aware, none of the VKs were gone. Were they? This made my stomach lurch, and I now wanted to see someone my own age. 

Sort of unthinkingly, I slowly made my way to Uma’s hangout. I knew that if VKs would be anywhere, it would be there now. Expecting to find at least one individual in the area, I had not anticipated what I innocently walked into. The doors of Ursula’s Fish and Chip shop swung up to reveal a massive party. 

A party! While I was confined at home prostrate with grief, the rest of the island’s minors were celebrating! The noise was paramount, as was the refreshments. The booze was notable; mugs of beer and shot glasses were abounding. While music wasn’t blasting, the racket everyone made a good substitute. Kids were lounging everywhere, drinking in access while playing games, and generally having a grand old time. The sight was frankly disgusting for me to witness first-hand. I’d never been so disappointed or furious with my fellow VKs. 

I’m not sure how long I stood there in a gawk at the doorway, but it was for a while. It took the other kids some time to notice me, and when they did, the whole place suddenly grew uncomfortably still. That’s when I saw Evie, Jay, and Carlos for the first time. They were all sitting around on some beanbag chairs; none of them had alcoholic drinks on hand. They looked at me, along with everyone else present. The teen royalty of the scene, Uma, was sitting high up on a counter, alongside Gil and Harry. While they appeared to be immediately afraid, Uma was livid. 

“Hey, loser! No brown-nosers allowed!” She shouted over to me, assuming it would have the same effect as before. But I was too horrified, enraged, and shocked by their flippant behaviour to leave. I remained there, glaring vicious daggers straight back at her. “Our parents are missing.” “Uh, yeah? Why do you think we’re partying it up?” She spat like this was entirely apparent. But my hands balled into mad fists; my glared sharpened incensed. This ungrateful monster……. “They’re gone! What’s wrong with you?! All of you! Don’t you care at all that our families disappeared without a trace?! Do you really not give a damn what may have happened to them?! Who knows where they could be right now!” 

For a very, very tense second, no one uttered a peep; I think they were all terrified to. Of course it was Uma, who after engaging in a deathly stare-down with me, got up from her “throne”. All nervous eyes were on us as she marched towards me, only stopping a few feet away from where I was standing. Our glares didn’t break once; we both wore dangerous frowns. 

“You listen to me, you little puritanical bitch. We don’t, in fact, give a single, solitary damn about what happened to them. Since you’re so stupid, I’ll spell it out for you. Our parents hated us. And big surprise: we weren’t too fond of them either. You think my mom actually cared about me? You think they weren’t screaming, and threatening, and lashing out at us- their kids- since they couldn’t at anyone else? Of course we don’t care! Good riddance, I say! We are villains, Mal; just in case you hadn’t noticed. Besides, it’s not like we can get off the island to go looking for them anyway. So don’t you stand there and give me this righteous bullshit. Our parents are gone- so what? They were criminals, who didn’t care one lick about us. You should know what that feels like. But then, at least my mom stuck around.” 

The whole room was filled with this “ooooooooh” sound. Uma crossed her arms like this was some sort of victory for her. All I could do was stare speechless at her momentarily, then I blinked and gathered my fuming thoughts. My eyes narrowed. “So you’re basically telling me you have no moral compass? Yeah, our parents weren’t the best. You think that’s a good enough reason not to care about what just happened? All the adults are gone, you idiot! What’s happened is a cataclysmic tragedy! How can you not feel anything?! No sense of loss; nothing! Your mother is gone, Uma! You may never see her again. Doesn’t that bother you even the slightest bit?!” And her arms remained folded resolutely. “No. I’m not like you, Mal; thank god for that,” to add insult to injury, she then backed up to drape her arm across Harry’s shoulder. That, right there- that was mean. 

At this, I merely ogled her in disbelief. I think for the first time in my life, I truly grasped how different, how pointedly separate I was from her and the other VKs. The Cheshire Cat was right: under their definition, I was mad. And that’s how I intended it to stay. After giving Uma one last glare, I breathed deeply. The other kids, including my small group of friends, were still watching intently and with zero ease. My lips parted decisively. “Yeah, you’re right- you’re not like me. You are truly evil; that’s something I can never be. Not really. I see how different we are now; this whole thing has shown me your true colours. And I’m so glad, for the first time ever, that I don’t fit in with you.” With that, I spun around and stomped out the door, leaving a gobsmacked Uma and stunned crowd behind me. I only made it a little way before a voice hollered out for me. 

“Mal!” That voice……. My feet dashed around so I was facing a frantic-looking Harry. We were standing not five feet from the restaurant’s entryway. His breathing was deep and upset. I instantly felt regret and embarrassed in front of him. “I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t mean to cause a scene like that.” “Never mind that. Where are you going?” “Uh, home, I guess. I was hoping that…… my father might be there when I returned,” I said, realizing how stupid that sounded. 

Harry didn’t say anything for a minute, walking up to me and taking my wrist by his hook. I blinked down at it, then back up at him. The coolness of the blade felt good against my bare skin. His deep, soulful eyes locked onto mine. “Don’t pay any mind to what Uma said.” “Oh, it’s ok. I have……. bigger concerns on my mind right now,” my eyes lowered a bit. Harry breathing steadied somewhat; his hook still hadn’t released me. “You really miss him, don’t you?” “So much………” I said in a whisper, afraid if I raised my voice I might cry. 

Neither of us uttered a word for a minute. Harry’s gaze softened so gently upon me the next few seconds. “She’s right, you know; you’re not like the rest of us.” “Huh?” This caused me to peer up at his face confused. He just kept talking in that sultry voice of his. “You’re different. Your life is the only one worth anything in this god-forsaken place.” “All life is precious, Harry.” “It’s that sort of thinking which makes you so unique. You’re rare……. and valuable. You are one of a kind.” “Harry………” My free hand reached over to lay overtop of his hook, still grasping me. I gave it a squeeze as our eyes met again. 

He took an audible breath in while still staring at me. “Mal…….” He began but couldn’t finish. He couldn’t, and he didn’t have to. Harry paused……. and I smiled because I understood. I looked at him with such esteem; my eyes lowering ever so slightly. “I know,” I reassured him. I know……. He was about to say something else before we were rudely interrupted. 

“Harry!” Uma’s bellowed from inside the joint. We both glanced back at the doors, then at each other once more. Harry grinned sadly and I followed suit. It was only then that he retracted his hook. “Harry! Where are you?! Harry!” “Be sure to get home safe,” Harry directed as he proceeded to remove his coat. It draped over my shoulders and, with one last smile at me, he went back inside. Both my hands grabbed the sides of the jacket from the interior as I watched him go. 

Along the way home, I considered what Uma said; despite Harry’s dismissal. There was one thing in particular that really caught my consideration. “Besides, it’s not like we can get off the island to go looking for them anyway.” She’s right. I never thought about leaving the Isle of the Lost to find my father, but now that she mentioned it, it’s not a bad idea. Even if I don’t find him or any of the other adults, maybe someone on Auradon could help me. Then again, they might execute me for leaving the island without permission in the first place. But this was an emergency and there weren’t many other options present at the moment. 

There was a problem, however. Several, actually. Firstly, I couldn’t just leave like that. A gigantic dome-like barrier ensured that everyone banished to the island stayed there. That included descendants like me. And secondly, we couldn’t use magic here; so I couldn’t transform into a dragon to fly away even if I could go. The only way we could leave without permission from the king and queen of Auradon was on a vehicle or vessel made with “good hands”. Since no one here was considered “good”, we couldn’t make anything to break past the barrier. 

I paused for a second to gaze out at the sea. The barrier extended roughly twenty feet off the coast, allowing evil sea-creatures to have room to swim. Seeing as the bridge connecting the two kingdoms was magic, I’d have to cross by sea if I did go. But I’d need a boat and there wasn’t any here I could use. My eyes widened in instant brilliant revelation. I can’t craft a boat, but I know good individuals who can. 

Without hesitation, I ran over to the edge of the dock overlooking the dark night sky. The cool, salty wind fluttered my hair behind me. “Uncle Poseidon! I need a favour!” My voice shrilled as loudly as I could manage. The breeze around me immediately picked up, making me stumbling back a few steps. I had to shield my eyes with my forearm as something suddenly came up from the depths. Water splashed everywhere, being very loud on the sea surface. My arm slowly lowered to reveal a large, old, wooden ship. My jaw literally dropped. 

“The Argo?! You sent me the Argo?! Jason’s Argo?!” This thing was mammoth! Very long and slender with a single mast and wide white sail. There were rows and rows of dark wooden paddles which would move on their own. At least I didn’t need a crew to sail this thing; I guess my uncle assumed I was going along. My hand covered my gaping mouth as I simply stared at the boat. I…… can’t believe I’m going to cross the channel on the famous Argo. I knew Uncle Poseidon liked me, but I had no idea he had such faith in me. He’s letting me borrow his treasured Argo! The same Argo Jason sailed on. My hand lowered as my eyes softened in a grateful fashion. “Thank you, Uncle…….. Thank you.” 

That’s when it hit me like a speeding train. Ok, so……. I’m officially going to leave the island. I’m going to sail away from the Isle of the Lost- most likely alone. And……. there’s a distinct possibility that I might never return. But I can’t ask anyone to come with me. Who knows how those “heroes” will treat me when I land on Auradon soil? I could be destroyed, or they may help me. Who knows? Either way, I can’t risk it. I can’t ask my friends to join me; them……. or Harry. 

Realizing the exhilarating journey ahead of me, I checked over the Argo to ensure that it was tied to the dock properly. Once that was confirmed, I made a mad dash back home to start packing. I grabbed some clothes, books, and the golden fleece my cousin Ares gave me. You never know; it might come in handy……. somehow. I was just about to fetch Daddy’s worn, patched leather jacket until there was a soft knocking at my front door. “Come in,” I called, not willing to stop my packing at this point. 

The door opened and Evie, Jay, and Carlos all stepped inside. They were looking rather anxious. “Mal?” Evie spoke first. “Oh, hi guys,” I greeted coming into the main room with an armful of clothing. “We just wanted to check and see how you’re doing,” she went on to explain. “Yeah, that was quite a fight you had with Uma back there,” Jay added. When I didn’t respond, Carlos perked up. “Uh, Mal? What are you doing?” He sounded confused. 

Only then did I pause to glance over at the three, who were now observing me with concern. “Are you…… packing?” Evie now had a very worried tone. I let out a sigh. “I’m just going away for a little while,” my hands kept shoving things into my bag. “Away? W-Where are you going? It’s not the biggest island in the world, Mal.” I looked back at Evie and didn’t say anything this time. Her eyes grew huge in comprehension. “W-Wait, you’re not…… leaving the island, are you? Where are you going?! How are you going to get past the barrier?” I waited to answer, straightening up my back. 

“Don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine. Just stay here and don’t say anything to anyone.” “You’re going to look for your dad, aren’t you?” Carlos gasped. I sighed again; knew I should have locked that door when I came in. “No……. not exactly.” “What do you mean “not exactly”?” Jay demanded. “Look, why do you guys care? Uma’s right- you have free run of the island now. Just do your own thing and let me do this.” “Uh, maybe we care because we’re your friends? And we don’t want anything bad to happen to you?” 

Evie’s words made me stop so I could look right at her. She gave me such a kind and sincere expression……… My shoulders finally relaxed in defeat as I realized she meant what she said. The corners of my mouth softened a little. “I’m going to Auradon to ask for help. Maybe someone there knows what happened to our parents and can bring them back. I’ll be using my uncle’s boat to go.” 

Boy, you think I would have spoken to them in Greek judging by their dumbfounded faces. None of them reacted- at least verbally- for a while, just gawking at me like I was crazy. But of course, Evie gave her head a little shake and had to address me first. “Y-You’re going to Auradon? O-On the Argo?” I nodded. “A-And you’re going alone?” Another nod. Then they all glanced at each other still wearing bewildered expressions. 

“N-No, you can’t! They’ll kill you!” Jay exclaimed. “Or at least turn you into an animal,” Carlos tacked on. “You don’t know that. Maybe they’ll spare me because I’m doing this for my father. They’re supposed to be the good guys, aren’t they?” I shrugged. They all peered at each other again unsure. “Yeah, but they also enforce the rules, and the biggest rule is not to leave the Isle of the Lost without permission.” “Jay’s right, Mal. It’s so dangerous. Who knows what they’ll do to you? You’ll be the first one to leave since they put up the barrier.” “And that was before any of us were born,” Carlos gasped incredulously. 

I zipped up my bag and turned to address them for the last time. I had to get to bed; there was a long day of sailing ahead of me tomorrow. “Look, I know it’s dangerous. But I doubt they’ll outright kill me. Not unless they want a barrage of lightning bolts from my uncle, that is.” This seemed to resonate with them, as they collectively nodded their heads. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. Your family up in Olympia probably wouldn’t be happy if they did anything to you.” “And even if they do anything to me, it’s worth the risk. More than anything, I want my father back. I love him……. and I feel a strong sense of loyalty towards him. That’s trumps everything in my book, even if it means risking my own life. It’s worth it to me……. if there’s a chance I can see him again.” 

This mini speech was followed by a long silence. They kept glancing to each other in a thoughtful way; it was clear they were all thinking to themselves. Soon enough though, Evie’s head turned back in my direction. She took a step my way, our eyes locking together. After another quiet second, she smiled and reached out to take hold of my hands. Jay and Carlos followed suit, with Jay placing a hand on my shoulder. “So, when do we go?” He asked me. 

“You guys don’t have to do this,” I replied back kindly. Just because I was willing to risk my own life doesn’t mean I wanted them to do the same. But they remained steadfast, all grinning firmly now. “You’re right, we don’t have to,” Evie said with such tenderness. “Then why are you?” I ventured to inquire. And Jay’s hand gave my shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “Cause we just figure you’re right.”


	5. Don't Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's not too happy when he discovers Mal's plan.

I awoke with a start to what sounded like a donkey neighing in the distance. 

After getting out of bed bright and early the next morning, I rushed as fast as I could to get everything done. We agreed to meet on the dock at ten o’clock; that gave me ample time to finish my packing and make sure I had everything I needed. I could never truly be sure about that, since this was my first time going anywhere off the island. There was no way for me to know how long it would take to get to Auradon, but my uncle’s ship was one of the fastest there is. Surely we’d get there in a day or two, so food reserves weren’t such a big concern. Nonetheless, I did pack at least two-days’ supply; just in case. 

I hadn’t noticed until the morning that I’d been wearing Harry’s jacket this entire time- ever since he placed it over my shoulders. I guess I subconsciously wanted to keep it on as long as possible; and I’m pretty sure my friends noticed it last night. A frown etched itself across my lips as I forced myself to finally take it off; it felt so comfy that I actually slept in it…….. Gently I laid it across the sofa and placed a flower overtop it. Well, an origami flower; we didn’t have any real flowers on the island. It was folded into a pink rose- I’m sure roses would be my favourite flower, if I ever got to see one…… My hand pressed into the jacket’s front tenderly one last time. It was then replaced by Daddy’s old, worn leather jacket- the same one with patches. I gave myself a once over in the full-length mirror. Heh, this coat along with these pants and shirt did give me somewhat of a pirate air. Who knows what the residents of Auradon are going to think of me when they first see me looking like this?

Sneaking out was relatively easy. Although there were no adults around to catch me- although I’m sure they would applaud my efforts for trying to escape the island, if not the reason- I didn’t want any other VKs seeing me leave. Regardless of how it may look from an outside point-of-view, I knew how deadly this trip was; and thankfully so did my friends. This wasn’t some fun romp getting off the Isle of the Lost; there could be serious consequences, regardless of my intentions. The adults on Auradon may punish me severely, or they may feel pity for me and help me. It was impossible to tell right now; the only mortal adults I’ve ever met have been evil. I hoped good mortal grown-ups would be like my divine Greek relatives, but I wasn’t sure. 

I arrived at the Argo first, followed quickly by Evie, Jay, and Carlos. They all had light packing of their own and acted pretty excited, all things considered. Only I was the apprehensive one- not about me going but about them……. It was one thing to risk my own life; it was certainly another to risk theirs. While we were abroad the first time, I paused momentarily to gaze at all of my friends. “You guys don’t have to come,” I reminded them for what felt like the millionth time. They all simultaneously rolled their eyes. “Give it a rest, Mal. We’re going with you,” Evie huffed. “But it’s dangerous,” I retorted. “Exactly, which is why we can’t let you go alone. It’s better if we stick together,” she pressed back. “No, it’s not. I’m the one who wants her father back; you guys don’t have to come, really. I can’t stand the idea of anything happening to you………” My voice trailed off as they were all looking at me with a smile. After grinning at each other in that knowing way, Jay shook his head. “We’re friends, Mal; it’s an unavoidable hazard of the occupation,” he said, and I blinked to him with wide eyes. I didn’t bring it up again after that, though I couldn’t hide my smile for long. 

Carlos and I checked the mast while Evie scanned the deck and Jay studied the rope keeping us secure at bay. Once we were sure that everything looked sea-worthy, we got off the boat one last time to double-check our provisions. While we were doing that, some unwelcomed bystanders finally found us and approached to see what we were up to. 

“Uh, what are you guys doing?” Our heads automatically turned to the side, only to find Uma, Gil, and unfortunately Harry standing close by. I winced my eyes shut for a second; I was hoping to leave the island before he found out……. As excepted, he looked more invested and concerned than the other two beside him. Uma, for her part, rested one hand on her hip slanting it a little. Gil appeared to be more confused than anything, revealed by the way he gawked at the ship with a vacant expression. 

Evie straightened up to look Uma in the eye. “We’re going to find our parents.” Uma smirked with an amused chuckle. “Heh, where? Going to the East side of the island?” “No. We’re sailing to Auradon on Mal’s uncle’s ship,” Evie frowned. For a minute, the three pirates stared at us like we were out of our minds. But that didn’t last too long. Uma and Gil broke out into a hysterical laughing fit; Harry didn’t. Jay and Carlos merely glanced at one another while Evie looked my way. My eyes hadn’t left them- or should I say him. 

“Man, you are crazy! No one just “leaves” the Isle of the Lost. If it were that easy, we’d have gone a long time ago. How do you plan to get past the barrier?” Uma asked in an overly patronizing tone. Carlos head cocked slightly; he wasn’t impressed with her response. “The Argo was made by good hands. It can take us outta here,” he explained, not holding back on the tone either. 

It was only then that did all their demeanour change. Uma and Gil stiffened up to as still as Harry was; he already knew what was happening before Carlos illuminated the situation. But the other two……. Uma blinked, like she was clearing contemplating everything; she took her time to reply. “You’re serious?” She asked me this time directly. My three crewmates peered at each other suddenly unsure how to answer this. I think the realization that she might want to join us on broad was hitting them now. Uma obviously took our silence as admission of the truth. Her eyes grew full of mixed, conflicting emotions all of a sudden. 

“Y’all are nuts; this is totally insane……. You think the “good” people of Auradon are just going to welcome you with open arms? And supposing they don’t burn you to a crisp at first sight, you think they’re actually going to help you find our parents? Our parents? The same villains they defeated and dumped here to rot?” At this, Evie and the others had glints of reservation and second thoughts on their faces. Only I stayed steadfast, though I didn’t want to be too vocal about it for Harry’s sake……. He did not look happy at the moment- not at all. 

Evie’s lips parted peppered with nervousness. “S-Still, it’s worth a-a shot. T-They might help us.” Uma simply laughed in her face. “Yeah, or they might murder you. One of the two.” I think I was the only one who saw Harry’s palm twitch at this statement; it was mild, but I saw it. I knew where this was going……. Only Gil was delighted at the prospect. “Can I come?!” He inquired enthralled. Oh, the glare Uma shot him……. “You wanna die too?” “Would you stop saying that? There’s no guarantee that anything will happen to us,” Carlos argued, growing bolder in his speech. “Oh, but there is, when the king and queen learn that you broke their biggest rule.” “Yeah? Well I……..” “Enough!” 

Before Jay could continue, everyone’s heads fired over in Harry’s direction. He was still staring unwaveringly in my direction, and his tone of voice just now……. Even Uma was alarmed and not willing to interrupt him presently. Within seconds Harry swiftly marched over to me and took hold of my wrist. “You come with me,” he growled more to me than the others. They all merely watched gobsmacked and a little frightened as Harry dragged me off. The only one who wasn’t afraid or startled by this outburst was me. I knew Harry…… I knew what he was like and why he was acting this way. 

When we were far enough to be out of earshot, Harry’s feet stopped, and he released my wrist. I didn’t say anything, waiting for him to speak first; I knew that wouldn’t take long. His hand- and hook- firmly rested on his hips as his head gave an exasperated shake. “This is beyond stupid, Mal.” “I want to bring my father back, Harry.” “I know you do; I know you want him back. But this…… this is ludicrous! What are you thinking? Do you know the risks involved here, Mal? No one’s ever tried leaving the island before- who knows what they’ll do to you!” “I get you’re worried about me……..” His finger rose up to stop me. “Worried? No, worried doesn’t even begin to cut it. I’m not going to stand by and let you get destroyed like this, Mal. I lost you once, courtesy of my dad; I’m not going to lose you again. That’s so not happening.” My eyes lowered onto him so adoringly……. I knew it. I knew it deep, deep down inside of me. After all this time, he hasn’t stopped…….. My lips parted a sliver as I remembered to breathe. “Harry……” I started but couldn’t continue. What could I say after what he said? Those words that were so precious to me……. 

He took a deep breath in now too, as if steadying his nerves. One thing about Harry was that he inherited his father’s temper, and I could read it like a book. Nothing flared it up like the thought of me in…… I didn’t dare finish the thought, lest I turn a bright shade of red here on the pier. His back straightened up as he took an audible breath in and out. “Ok, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to stay here on the Isle of the Lost.” “Harry, I can’t…….” “Yes, you can. Don’t you get how deadly this is?! Do you want to die, Mal?! Do you think this is what your father would want, huh? Your dad would probably be through the roof if he knew what you were up to,” his arms threw up into the air enraged. He began turning around in the spot he was standing; I think he just had to move to keep from boiling over. All I could do was watch him sadly…….. 

“I’m sorry, Harry. But I have to go; I have to do something. I can’t just stay here and do nothing, hoping that he’ll return someday. Even if it means risking my own life…….. I have to go. I just love him too much.” At this declaration, Harry remained quiet for a second, glancing over at me very, very concerned. Seeing him in this much distress hurt me; I didn’t like seeing him this way. So to soften the blow, I smiled so sincerely and gently at him; my eyes lowered onto his. “This isn’t the first time we’ve said good bye…….. and this time isn’t any easier. It’s been so long since we parted ways, but we haven’t changed- not really. When you said I was one of kind yesterday, so are you…….. There’ll only ever be one “you”, Harry; I don’t even have to think about it. But I will think about you…….. Wherever I go, or whatever happens to me, it won’t change a thing. There will never be a day when I won’t think of you.” 

Harry didn’t say anything; he simply, effortlessly stared at me. His eyes were sponge-like, absorbing in my very essence and letting it permeate into his. After one last look at him, I turned away with tears in my eyes. I only got one step however, before two very strong arms embraced me from behind. Harry had rushed up to stop me from leaving with a hug; he held me there in his arms, wrapping around my middle and upper half like ivy. Though my eyes grew gigantic in surprise, I was secretly overjoyed. My body knew these arms; they instantly recognized them…….. and it felt indescribably good to be held by him again. 

Harry waited a minute, breathing deeply; I could tell he was elated to be holding me this close once more too. It’d been such a long time since we hugged each other like this……. My mouth opened a sliver, but no words came out. Harry was the first to talk next. “I can make you stay, Mal.” “Harry…….” “I can force you to stay here. I’m stronger that you…….” My eyes lowered, not afraid whatsoever. How could I ever be intimidated by him? “I know you, Harry. I know would never do that. You’ll let me go, if that’s really what I want.” His arms tightened around me as I said this; I don’t think this pleased him, but he also knew that I was right. 

“Mal…….” Sensing I wanted to spin around, I shifted ever so slightly so I could face him. His face just then…… I’d never seen him scared before. This time I didn’t try to calm him with a grin; I was too sad to fake a smile. “I’ll be alright. I will…….” “Mal,” it was only then that I gently pulled myself out from his grasp. Unable to say any more without welling up, I turned to leave once more. But before I could go, a hand grabbed hold of my upper arm desperately. It took everything I had to peak back at Harry’s heart-breaking expression. Our eyes locked for the very final time. His lips shook apart, they were quivering that much. “Don’t go.” 

What……. What am I supposed to say to that? Without another word, I tugged my arm back and headed back in the direction of the ship. Despite everyone ogling me with total confusion, they all had the good sense not to utter a peep. Even Uma stayed remarkably quiet. I boarded the Argo, along with my friends, and without so much as a farewell to Uma or Gil, the sail went down. Jay untied the rope and the vessel began to move on its own across. I didn’t look back at the island once as me left. I just kept my moist eyes forward, on the barrier we were about to attempt to cross.


	6. Arrival At Auradon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal and the others arrival at Auradon and are quickly discovered by its inhabitants.

(Author’s Note: The winged horses in this chapter are from Fantasia. Will be using more from this movie later on) 

[“I don’t know what it’s like to be good, but because of you, I know what kindness looks like.”] I still remember when he said that to me when we were twelve years old. Harry…… 

My eyes opened slowly as we headed straight for the barrier. While Jay, Carlos, and Evie were conversing amongst themselves, I hadn’t said a single thing since we left the dock. Leaving Harry distraught like that was just too……. My hand rose up to my chest while I gave my head a small shake. But I can’t dwell on that now; I have to keep my mind on what’s happening here. We were rapidly approaching the barrier, to which none of us had any idea what would happen once we reached it. 

Everyone suddenly grew quiet and turned to me, as if silently awaiting instruction. This struck me somewhat by surprise; I never thought of myself as “the captain” before. I wanted to take a more egalitarian route. But seeing as they were searching for direction and this was my uncle Poseidon’s boat after all, I decided to unofficially take charge. “Um, f-full speed ahead,” I sounded about as confident as I looked. Apprehension filled the atmosphere but straight forward the vessel went. I admit I did close my eyes anxiously waiting as we reached the very tip. 

The boat kept rowing and rowing……. and nothing bad happened. All of our eyes opened to find the Argo in one piece. More than that, it was halfway through by the time we looked, steadily sailing through the green, translucent barrier. We all gazed at each other in utter astonishment. It felt like nothing; like literally going through air. You wouldn’t know we crossed anything unless you saw the barrier beforehand. None of us could even breathe a sigh of relief once we were completely though- it was that shocking. Here I thought there’d be a painful zap or something. 

It took a moment for it to sink in, but once we were out, Evie smiled joyously at me. Jay and Carlos wordlessly looked at one another. My lips parted ever so slightly. Free……. For the first time in our lives, we were free. This was what freedom was like; this was what it was like to be born off the island. That sudden elation didn’t last too long, however. Carlos was the first to spot it, pointing back to the barrier with a now concerned expression. Our heads shot back around in the direction he was pointing. And our jaws simultaneously dropped. 

Right where the Argo had gone through was this big hole in the barrier. It was the only part of it which was clear, and it wasn’t shrinking. “I guess the magic of the gods is stronger than any mortal spell……..” I thought out loud, not really comprehending what I was saying. Evie bit her bottom lip in a nervous fashion before turning to me. “Is this ok?” “Uh, it…… it should be fine. No one knows about the hole,” I tried- in vain- to comfort her. She didn’t seem convinced. Jay audibly gulped, still staring at the gaping space. “Y-Yeah, so long as we don’t tell anyone…….” I looked at him, wondering just how long we could keep something like this a secret. 

Being outside the barrier was akin to taking one’s first fresh breath of air. It was glorious out here! I don’t think any words in the English language could do it justice. The sky was so high and the brightest shade of blue. The water glistened this beautiful aqua colour. The air around us felt so warm and refreshing. It was then that we also learned out close the kingdom of Auradon really was to the Isle of the Lost. It wasn’t far at all, once you got past the barrier. The barrier blocked our view of it before, but upon crossing it, we realized that Auradon was a short boat ride away. And here I thought it would a far way off, but no. It didn’t take long for entities to notice our arrival either; even if they were neutral entities. Albeit, beautiful ones. 

While I was staring into the gorgeous sea below us- with some cute, colourful, little fish coming up to greet me- something caught our eyes high in the sky. We glanced up, seeing these most beautiful of creatures flying through the air. An instant smile etched itself across my lips; I knew these animals. A family of winged horses flew all around the ship, though at a considerable distance. The adults were white and black, while the foals were all sorts of colours. They were the same breed as Pegasus, the companion to my cousin Hercules. After a few minutes of soaring, they landed in the water near us; they didn’t seem to mind or care about our presence. 

It was around this time that dolphins began to jump around on the sea’s surface. Evie in particular liked them, pointing to several as we watched them play in the water. They stayed with us until we reached the beach. Some of the winged foals flew over to explore our mast by now; they were near the ship as it drifted up onto the sand. The Argo finally came to a stop; the paddles stopping the moment the wooden body touched soiled ground. One of the foals actually let me pet it at the same moment, and I gazed up onto the land in front of us. 

Once again, all eyes were on me. I stepped onto the edge and ogled down at the sand. Well……. I drew in a long breath. Here goes nothing! With another deep inhale, one foot extended down to touch the ground. When nothing bad happened, my other foot joined it. There I stood on Auradon soil for the very first time- the first Isle of the Lost resident to ever step foot on their island. Seeing as I didn’t immediately drop dead, I grinned back at my friends and motioned for them to join me. 

“Whoa! Did you guys feel the sand?! It’s so silky!” “Look! The grass is so green over there! And flowers! Look, Mal! Real flowers!” “Do you think anyone lives around here? It seems pretty untouched to me.” Well, they were having a good time. While Evie, Jay, and Carlos all investigated the beach, I took a moment to consider our current situation. “Ok, so we made to Auradon in one piece. Now how do we find the castle?” I pondered out loud, resting my forefinger beneath my lip. 

That’s when I noticed that I’d wandered pretty close to the grass right above the beach. It led to a not-too-far short cliff in the distance. While there, I spotted a bed of flowers; not roses but still very lovely. With a smile, I bent down to admire them closer and get a good whiff. They smelt so good! This was my first experience with flowers and I already adored them. It suddenly seemed so hard to imagine myself returning to world without them. 

Fluttering above the blossoms were a collection of different-coloured butterflies. It was my first time seeing them too, though I’d heard about them before. As if sensing I was watching them, they came over to me, flying all about me. I giggled softly, shutting my eyes and letting them stay close. For whatever reason, they appeared to like me. My eyes only reopened to the sweet twittering of birds. Small blue and red birds were perched nearby, curiously observing me. I grinned over to them kindly. “Hello, you lovelies.” Only more tweeting in response, making me giggle more. “I don’t suppose you know where the king and queen’s castle is, do you?” I then asked, not expecting any sort of answer. They were birds, after all. 

To my surprise, however, they glided over to me. They must have mistaken me for a princess of some sort, since a couple of them gently took hold my shirt in their tiny beaks. Without tearing the fibre, I was whisked forward with superb helpfulness. These darling little birds were leading me towards the small cliff. Too bad it couldn’t have gone longer though. I had just reached five feet away from the beach on the grass until…….. 

“Mal! Mal, where are you?!” I checked back over my shoulder to find my friends searching for me. The birds scattered as Carlos ran up in my direction. “Hey, Mal! What are you doing over there?” He asked puzzled. “I……..” I blinked back to all the vanished birds now; they must be shy. “How are we going to find the residents?” Jay hollered over to me. Luckily, I didn’t have to answer that specific question. 

Before anyone could make another sound, a shout came from up on top of the cliff. Our heads lifted up in a start. “Halt, invaders!” A female voice rang loudly. A gaggle of native Auradonians appeared from beyond the cliff’s ledge, all glaring down at us suspiciously. Instantly the others ran up behind me, seeing as I was the one nearest to the drop and consequently most vulnerable. Once they were there, Evie blinked to me worried. “Mal?” She whispered but I didn’t respond. I merely kept my eyes on all of them deeply concerned. 

The one who called out to us was a girl with cotton-candy coloured hair. She wore a pink dress and looked rather perturbed. The boy standing beside her had curly blonde hair and was wearing a light blue suit with a yellow shirt underneath. To his side was a shorter girl with dark brown hair; her dress was simple and this shade of pale purple. It had this cute little pink bow tied around the collar. Behind her was this pretty girl with long, black hair; her clothes were the most exotic. Beside her was this tall man with glasses; he had a turtle green suit and purple shirt on. Lastly, standing right next to the girl who hollered first was a boy in a blue suit and yellow shirt. His hair was brown and short. While half of them looked angry, he and the others appeared more intrigued and confused than anything. They all looked to be roughly our age; maybe some were a year or two younger. And I also couldn’t help but notice that the guy wearing the blue suit was looking directly at me. His eyes were wide and full of questions. 

“What are you think you’re doing here, villain kids?” Curly blonde-haired guy demanded. The girl in the pink dress brushed him off. “Who cares what they’re doing! How dare you sneak off the Isle of the Lost and invade our kingdom?!” “We’re not invading!” Carlos yelled back defensively. “Yeah, we’ve come for your help!” Evie added. “Lairs! What help could you possibly want from us? They’re obviously lying! What do you think, Ben?” No reply. “Ben?” The girl in the pink dress tried again. 

Instead, Ben continued to look at us like he didn’t know what to think. But no matter where his eyes drifted to, they always seemed to return to me- not that anyone else caught onto this. As we looked at each other, I saw his eyes lower ever so slightly. He was clearly thinking over what to do; as were my friends. “Mal?” Evie tried again to grab my attention. But I had other things on my mind. Namely the question swirling in the back of my head since the moment we saw them…….. 

Where are the adults?


	7. While On The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The VKs have a tense conversation with the good kids on the beach.

“Well, at least this is a lot better than them murdering us on site.” “No kidding! They’re just kids like us. But we’re not out of the woods yet. Do you suppose they’ve gone to tell their parents?” “I’m not sure what they’re up to. What do you think, Mal? Mal?” All my friends glanced over to where I was sitting on the beach. We’d been commanded to stay put while the “good kids” left temporarily; they didn’t say where they were going. While the other VKs wanted to follow them- despite being explicitly told not to- I reminded them that it’s best we try to stay on their good side, for now anyway. But even I had to admit that something felt…… off. 

“Something’s wrong. The guards shoulda been here by now,” my head shook lightly as I continued to stare out at the water. My friends gazed to one another and didn’t say anything more; I think they thought I was right. The quiet didn’t last long, however. Our heads simultaneously turned at the sound of someone approaching quickly. We looked to see the same group of kids tightly scramble up to us, stopping just at the edge of the grass. In front of the pack was the short girl in a pale purple dress; she had what I guessed to be the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand in her hand. It was aimed directly at us. As soon as we saw them, we jumped to our feet, which I suppose they didn’t much like. 

“S-Stay where you are!” The girl holding the wand very shakily ordered; she was obviously scared. To her right side was the girl in a pink dress, who still wore an expression of distain for us. On her left side was the guy in a blue suit; I think the girl in the pink dress called him Ben yesterday. He looked considerably friendlier, or at least less hostile. Seeing as I was the closest to the group, the girl with the wand pointed it specifically in my direction- a logic move, I’d say. But my friends saw the implications of this sooner than I did. Before I could react, Jay rushed out in front of me, effectively shielding me from any blast. His arms extended at his sides. 

“Don’t vaporize her! We can explain!” “Vaporize? No, we’re not going to vaporize you,” the boy in the turtle green suit sounded surprised. “But actually, that’s not a half bad idea,” the girl in pink snidely remarked. “Audrey,” this earned a side glance from Ben. “Please, we’ll go as soon as we can. We only came for your help first,” Evie pleaded. This definitely caught them by surprise, which it oddly didn’t the first time we stated our intentions. “You…… need our help?” The girl in exotic clothes blinked. “Yes. Can you bring us to your parents, please? We’ve come all this way to see them,” I spoke up as Jay stepped out of the way, partly. 

At this, the good kids all squirmed awkwardly, looking at each other with dismay and unsureness. It didn’t help my constantly growing nerves; a flicker of fear was now fanning into an outright flame. Eventually, they peered back to us with conflicted faces. “Erm, w-what……. what do you want with our parents?” Ben inquired. “We wanted to ask for their help. All the adults on the Isle of the Lost have disappeared,” Carlos explained. “We woke up a couple of mornings ago and they were just…… gone. They vanished without a trace; we have no clue where they went,” Evie tacked on. “That’s why we’re here. We’re hoping your parents might know what happened to them,” Jay finished off. When none of them immediately responded, my suspicions were confirmed. Once again, they turned to one another with dumbfounded expressions; their mouths agape. “Did you hear that?” The guy in the light blue suit gasped. “Their parents are missing too,” the girl holding the wand exclaimed. 

The moment she uttered this, all our eyes grew huge. My hands started to shake. No…… No, this can’t be happening; this isn’t real. There’re no adults in Auradon either? Where did they go? Are they in the same place where our parents are? Where’s that? How do we get there, or even figure out where that is? The moment after I thought this, the sea breeze began to rustle my hair. It seemed to trying to grab my attention, to draw my eyes forward…….. My head spun to the side and I saw the sea; the sea and the Argo. As I silently watched the short for a second, the wind kept creeping over me, guiding me to it…….. My lips parted in realization. Oh…… Oh, I see. If they’re not back home, and they’re not here, then they must be somewhere else. Somewhere across the sea, in another direction……. 

My train of thought was interrupted by Evie’s voice. My friends were completely ignoring the good kids now, trying to figure out what to do next on their own. And since I’m the unofficial leader of our little rag-tag group, I suppose they wanted my input. My head shot back only to find them all looking at me; Evie reached over to grab my arm. “What are we going to do, Mal? How are we going to find our parents now?” “Can’t your relatives up on Olympus help us?” Jay proposed. I shook my head. “I doubt they know where they are either, otherwise I’m sure they would have already told me,” my eyes scurried off into space thoughtfully. But they must know that they’re elsewhere, if not here……. “Should we…… go back to the island and regroup?” Carlos rubbed the back of his neck. It’s then that I noticed the good kids observing us again. I paused and stepped forward in their direction. They backed up nervously, save for Ben; he didn’t seem frightened of me whatsoever. I appreciated that. 

“Your parents disappeared, right? Did that happen the day before yesterday?” I asked none of them in particular. I’m assuming Ben’s their leader as well, since they all blinked to him. His gaze scrolled downwards a bit, then lifted back up after a minute. “Y-Yes…… Yes, we woke up and none of them were there.” “Just like us,” Evie uttered under her breath in alarm. “Wait, wait, wait, wait. You’re saying that the same thing happened on the Isle of the Lost? All the adults just magically evaporated?” With attitude in her tone, Audrey put her hand on her hip and slanted it sideways. Unimpressed by this, I frowned but still nodded my head. “So it wasn’t the villains, then? They had nothing to do with it!” The girl with the wand exclaimed in comprehension and relief. The other good kids also seemed mildly relieved to hear this. The VKs, on the other hand…….

“They can’t help us. Coming here was pointless!” Jay’s voice raised. “It wasn’t pointless. At least we know they’re not here,” I reassured him. “But, Mal, what now? What are we going to do now? There’s literally no plan B,” Carlos sounded exasperated. Pondering for a minute, I turned around to face the good kids again. “You don’t know……. anything? No clue as to where they could be or what might have happened to them?” Their heads shook. “We thought it might have had something to do with your parents……. but clearly not,” the boy in a light blue suit sighed. My hands rubbed together in a thoughtful manner, my eyes trailing off again. That’s not good……. 

I think Ben was of the- correct- persuasion that we weren’t here to cause any harm. His demeanour completely changed, his shoulders drooping down somewhat relaxed. Now grinning, he came over to us, or rather me. He extended his hand out for mine in a gentlemanly fashion. I glanced from it up to his face curious and confused as to what he’s up to. But his smile remained steadfast. 

“You’ve had quite a journey. Come, you’re welcome to stay in Auradon with us. We’re in the same scenario; we should figure it out together.” Everyone, and I do mean everyone, was utterly speechless at this invitation. Even I couldn’t help but hesitate. I mean, these were the children of the heroes and heroines who defeats our parents; the offspring of the individuals who banished our families. And the good kids looked equally shocked, like he’d just unlocked the prison doors. Only Ben was absolutely resolute…… and still smiling at me. He didn’t take his hand away without mine. 

“A-Are…… are you serious?” Evie wheezed. “Y-You can’t be serious. They’re villain kids, Benny! You can’t just have them roaming around the kingdom, causing mayhem and spreading their evil everywhere,” Audrey was clearly disgusted. “Look, we don’t wanna “spread evil”. We just wanna find our parents, which we can do perfectly fine on our own,” Jay retorted bitterly. “He’s right. We don’t wanna cause any trouble; we’ll leave Auradon if you want us to. All I want is to get the adults back,” I told Ben. He looked at me and his smile deepened, as if what I said charmed him. 

“Listen, you don’t have to go back to the Isle of the Lost. Stay here for now, and we’ll all think of something. You’re not the only ones who want their parents back. It’ll be better if we work together on this. And don’t worry, you won’t stay as our prisoners.” “They won’t?” Audrey’s eyebrow raised. “Of course not. They’re not our prisoners; they’re our guests! And we’re going to treat them as such, right?” Ben checked over his shoulder at the other good kids. “Yes,” they all groaned. Beaming, Ben finally had enough of waiting for my hand to take his; he took hold of mine. “Great! Now, who’s ready for tea?”


	8. A Sea Of Four-Legged Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flurry of guests come to Auradon Prep in search of help.

We were half-paying attention to what the good kids were saying and half-admiring our surroundings as we were led towards the academy, Auradon Prep. That’s apparently where all the good kids were studying; at least they had a chance at a proper education. But we weren’t thinking about that presently. 

The kingdom of Auradon was beautiful! Luscious, green grass and forestry everywhere. Wildflowers as far as the eye could see. A high light blue sky with a plethora of fluffy, white clouds. It was divine; I imagine this is what Olympus is like, except for the ground and all things being clouds. All our eyes constantly moved around as we walked further away from the coast. Meanwhile, the good kids kept on speaking to us, totally oblivious. 

“Yes, I’ve gone through every book in every library,” the boy in the turtle green suit, named Doug, explained to us. “And I’ve tried every spell. Nothing seems to help,” Jane sighed. While my friends were in just as much awe as me at our whereabouts, I think I was paying slightly more attention to the one-sided conversation than them. “So you’ve tried using magic to bring them back?” I inquired thoughtfully. Jane nodded. “We even tried black magic, like Maleficent’s staff. It was no use,” she sounded defeated. My head slowly nodded in comprehension. So it looks like magic won’t help us either……. 

We passed through the school front gates, leading into a massive lawn. Right beside the school itself, which was a castle, was a small walled-in flower garden. The heavy wooden doors were open when we approached it. Ben, who was guiding us, didn’t stop once reaching it; only walking past it. The other good kids followed suit. It was Evie who paused first. With wide eyes, her hand reached up to caress mine, grabbing my attention. I blinked back to her puzzled. But she wasn’t looking at me- she was staring into the garden. Her lips parted a sliver as if she had to remind herself to breathe. “Mal……. roses,” she said with a kindness I’d never heard from her before. 

My head spun to the side and I beheld for the very first time, my very first rose. The initial blossom I saw was a single, long-stemmed, red rose. It stayed there erect, swaying ever so gently in the warm breeze as if to be greeting me. Without thinking, my feet began to move in its direction; I wanted to see it closer, to be nearer its beauty. Roses……. This angelic, immaculate creation bestowed to us by nature. Nothing could have prepared me for its beauty. Kneeling there in front of it, I knew I was bowing to perfection. Everything about it radiated flawlessness; the deep colour of its petals, the slender length of its stem, the protective thrones, and its smell……. Oh god, the smell. My eyes organically shut as my head leaned in for a sniff. A smile etched itself across my lips, swelling right up into the corners. I think this was the first time I’ve genuinely smiled since my father disappeared. This moment, right here……. This was utterly, absolutely, effortlessly perfect. And I wouldn’t have traded the world for it. 

It couldn’t last forever, though. I was totally unaware of the others now watching me with confused and some with mildly perturbed expressions. They all stood at the garden’s threshold to observe my peculiar actions. Of course, Audrey had to be the first to speak in that upset tone of hers. “Uh, what are doing to my roses? Those are my roses, FYI.” “This is our first time seeing them,” Evie relayed, not taking her eyes off me. “We don’t have any flowers in the Isle of the Lost,” Jay tacked on. “You don’t?!” Jane gasped horrified. “Yeah well, that doesn’t give her the right to go smother mine,” Audrey spat. “Oh, just leave her alone, Audrey. Can’t you see she’s enjoying herself?” The exotically dressed girl, Lonnie, retorted. And as for Ben……. Well he was quietly observing, as if I had become part of the living painting in front of him. 

It was around then that I pulled my nose back and admired the other roses accompanying this one. Little butterflies which were nearby fluttered close to me, one even landing on my finger as I smiled down at it. This shocked even the good kids, who- unlike us- knew the significance of this act. “Why do they like her? The butterflies here don’t land on anyone’s fingers,” Audrey huffed clearly upset. “Not unless they’re a pure-hearted princess,” the boy in the light blue suit, Charles, tapped on. Oh man, did Audrey’s face go red with envy. Her arms crossed in a defiant manner. “I don’t get it. She’s clearly not like us. She’s evil!” “She’s wonderful,” Ben sighed. I don’t think he meant for me to hear that, but I did……. I heard him. 

Right at that moment, something caught my attention on the other side of the garden. Curious, I got up to go investigate, grabbing everyone else’s attention. “Mal? Where are you going?” Evie hollered out to me. When I didn’t answer, they started to follow me into the garden. Once I reached the back wall and subsequently gate, I pulled it open by its gigantic brass hooped handle. It opened to reveal a whole sea of domesticated animals on the other side. My eyes widened in shock as I stood there in front of all of them. Their little heads immediately shot in my direction. 

I couldn’t believe just how many pets were here! I recognized all of them; not by sight but from my elders had told me. The majority were dogs. The hunting dogs: Copper and Chief. Fagin’s dogs, Dodger and his crew. Lady and the Tramp. The aristocats. And hundreds of dalmatians; they overshadowed all other dog breeds present. There were even a few horses, including Mulan’s horse and Phillippe. All of them looked distressed and lost. Dodger, who I suppose was the leader of all the pets present, turned to address his friends momentarily. “I’ll handle this, you guys,” he said before coming over to me. The other human kids were equally as surprised to see them there as I was; and what’s more, we could understand them. 

“Hiya, chick. You in charge here?” Dodger asked me. “Uhhhhhhhhhhhh…….?” What was I supposed to say to that? He seemed to take my lack of verbal response as a confirmation. “Listen, we got a problem. Our owners have disappeared, and we have no clue where they are. Now there’s no one around to feed us. You got any idea where they might have gone?” “Please help us, miss. We’re hungry,” the aristocat kittens purred, climbing up onto my lap and nuzzling against my stomach. All I could do was gawk at them for a minute, needing a second to clear my head. Meanwhile the others had enough presence of mind to react to the strange situation. 

“Where’d all these dogs come from?!” Charles demanded, conveniently ignoring the cats and horses. “You’ve all been without your masters for days now?” Lonnie asked worriedly. “Do you have any food? We’re starving,” one of the dalmatian puppies cried. That made a surge of anger flow up through me; I suddenly felt a protectiveness for these animals, and an overwhelming desire to help them. My eyes shot over to give the good kids a sharp, accusing glare. 

“Why haven’t you fed them?!” I barked, holding the kittens securely in my arms. This took all the good kids aback; the VKs also wore expressions of shock as well. “We……. we didn’t know they were there!” Ben’s hands rose up in front of him defensively. “We just got here, miss,” Berlioz then told me. “Can you help us find our masters? We don’t know what else to do,” Copper clarified. Before I could say anything, we all noticed the dalmatian parents paying a keen attention on Carlos. 

“Pongo, isn’t that the devil woman’s son?” Perdita inquired to her husband. Oh no, I inwardly winced. This can’t be good. Poor Carlos was so frazzled and dismayed; I don’t think he knew what to make of the whole scenario. As if acting on impulse, I instantly rushed to his side. “No! No, no, no! He’s a good guy! He’s good! He’s a friend; he’s here to help get the adults back.” Carlos’s eyes grew steadily as he ogled the puppies- the dalmatians in particular. “There’re so……. so cute. I can’t even imagine that my mother’d want to……..” He didn’t dare finish his sentence. 

After waiting a second, I turned back to Dodger; he looked right back at me with confident yet pleading eyes. “We don’t know where the adults have gone either, but we’re going to find them,” I attempted to sound as reassuring as possible. They didn’t seem uber convinced, all wearing looks of scepticism. Luckily Ben stepped into my aid, flashing them a brilliant smile. “She’s right; we’ll find your masters. In the meantime, you’re welcome to stay here at Auradon Prep. There’s lots of food and room for everyone.” I looked at Ben, impressed by this show of generosity. He simply grinned back at me, his eyes softening onto mine. 

Charles groaned dramatically. “We can’t have these mutts running all around the castle! And who’s gonna feed and look after ‘em? They’re used to having owners, you know.” “I will. They can stay on the Argo with me,” I didn’t hesitate to offer. Ben immediately cut in, waving his hand nonchalantly in the air. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course they can stay here. We’ll all take care of them together.” “Oh, that’s alright, darling. We can manage ourselves just fine. You just focus on finding the grown-ups,” one of Dodger’s crew, Rita, cooed. “But we will take you up on your food offer,” the tramp tacked on. “I’ll go get you something,” Jane proposed. Jay and the others went to help her bring all the grub. Meanwhile, I set the kittens down and straightened up. I gave them all one last positive grin. “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be alright; we’ll do the best to bring your masters back,” I’m not sure how confident I sounded but I gave it a try, nonetheless. This seemed to resonate with them- thank goodness. Ben proceeded to guide me back towards the garden exit alongside him. I paused briefly to peer back at the still stagnant Carlos; he was now petting several of the dogs with the upmost affection. 

“Coming, Carlos?” I asked. “In a bit. I wanna stay here with them for a while,” he replied not bothering to look at me; he was absolutely enthralled with the canines surrounding him. He sat down on the grass so to pet them better. Ben and I glanced at each other and continued on back inside. It took me a moment to realize that I had a follower- a four-legged follower, who would soon become one of my very best friends.


	9. The Opinions Of The Many

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal meets the gargoyles (from the tv show "Gargoyles") and is taken deep into Auradon's forest.

Since it was getting late out, our hosts showed us to the rooms we’d be staying in. We each got our own room in the dormitories; girls on one end and boys in another. Surprisingly, the only one who got a place outside either of these towers was me. After letting my friends settle in their rooms, he personally escorted me to a different section of the castle all together. With a smile, he opened the double-door entrance to reveal a magnificent suite inside. My eyes immediately grew with shock. 

This place was huge! A massive bed with a canopy hanging over top and countless pillows. A vanity table displaying a gigantic mirror lined with pearls. A dark wood dresser and bookshelf stacked full of books. There was a silk and satin carpet on the floor with gold trim. At the back of the room was a curved balcony with a marble rail. It overlooked the crystal-clear sea in the distance; the Isle of the Lost was nowhere in sight. Of course I hesitated for a moment, simply turning to Ben with a confused and apprehensive expression. And of course, he grinned back at me. 

“Do you like your room?” “This can’t be my room. Shouldn’t I be sleeping in the dormitory with Evie and the other girls?” I replied aghast. Chuckling slightly, he shook his head. “I thought you might like somewhere a little more…… private.” This made me look at him shocked……. mostly at his perception. For his part, he motioned me to enter, which I did with trepidation. This room felt too good for me. So this is what being the hero would get you? Still, none of this could dull the sting of reality. I was only here after all, because my father was missing back home. I’d rather be back there with him than have any of this. The very thought made me a bit sad; I made sure to give Ben a grateful- albeit small- grin. “Thank you for the room, Ben. It’s beautiful…….” I said before wandering up to the balcony. He watched me, his own smile fading as he realized what was going on. I didn’t react when he then came to join my side where we oversaw the water. Both our hands folded out in front of us while our elbows rested on the rail. 

“You really miss your parents, don’t you?” Ben asked in a gentle, understanding tone. I nodded. “My father to be exact. He raised me as a single dad; I was all he had in the world,” my fingers twiddled still sadly. Ben’s eyes peaked over my way through their corners. He didn’t say anything for a moment, and when he spoke again his tone was knowing. “It was your idea to come to Auradon, wasn’t it?” I nodded a second time, still keeping my gaze on my hands out in front of me. “I knew it……..” He breathed and I felt his eyes off me for a second. A silence fell over us briefly. 

“Do you know why I chose this room for you?” My head shook a little ponderingly. “I could tell…… I could tell that this whole thing has hit you harder than anyone else I’ve seen; even all of us in Auradon. Oh, don’t get me wrong- we miss our folks. But……. I can tell that with you, it’s different. I don’t know how I know; it’s just…… obvious to me, if that makes any sense. Heh, I know it doesn’t. But from the first moment I saw you……. The way you move, the sound of your voice, even the flash in throat as you breathe- they all betray your grief.” I didn’t utter a word, but merely glanced over to Ben. He was so forthright and articulate; it was refreshing in its own way. His mouth opened once more as if he had more to say. 

“You just have this aura, different from the other VKs and even us. You see, I’d never seen anyone grieve like you before, but I’ve never seen anyone smile like you either,” the prince of Auradon told me. I blinked at him perplexed. “My smile?” “Yes. You hadn’t grinned since you got here; that is, until we passed the garden. You saw something so ordinary to us as a rose, and I turned around suddenly to see you admiring one in the garden……… and you were smiling then. I’d never seen anyone smile like that before either- one of true, pure adoration and joy. And I felt……. it’s almost impossible to describe. I felt like someone gave me the most enormous, beautiful present,” Ben finished his sentence by looking straight at me. My eyes were already wide while his were low and sincere. His hand reached over to give me a few pats. “Yeah, you’re different, Mal. I’ve never seen anyone as sad, loyal, or happy as you before; and what’s more, you were able to show me all that in the span of a few hours. That’s why you have this room, Mal; that’s why you’re here.” “Ben……..” My lips parted as I wasn’t exactly sure how to respond. His hand gave mine one final squeeze before he took his leave. “Have a good night, Mal,” was the last thing he said to me. Then he exited through the door, shutting it behind him. 

I waited until I knew he was gone before turning back to my hand; the hand Ben had touched. His hand was soft- I liked the way it felt against mine. My fingers ran over the skin in a profound fashion; my eyes lowered solemnly. But the whole time his hand was overtop mine, I couldn’t stop wishing it was Harry’s hook instead…….. Ben’s touch was nice, but Harry’s was unmatched. 

Before I was able to contemplate this any further my bedroom door opened again. I spun around, expecting it to be Ben or my friends, but was startled to find instead Dodger waltz through the threshold. “Whoa, swell pad. Not bad; not bad at all,” Dodger said while looking around. I came over to him. “What are you doing here, Dodger? Shouldn’t you be getting something to eat with the others?” “I wanted to see ya. Listen, me and the guys have been talkin’ and we think one of us should help you on this “recover the adults” mission of yours.” “Oh, Dodger…… That’s sweet of you, but it’s dangerous and……..” “No need to thank me. We’ve thought it over and decided it’s best if I tag along,” he interrupted me. I proceeded to rub the back of my neck awkwardly. Ok, how do I tell him “no” without hurting his feelings? His intentions are in the right place, after all. Eventually I let out a sigh. 

“Look, I appreciate you’re wanting to help; I really do. But this is no mission for animals; I don’t even know if my friends will join me when I leave here next. It’ll be much safer for you if you stay here with the others. You can help by watching over them!” I encouraged. But he shook his head as if I was the one talking absurdly now. “No can do. You’re going to need help and we got a vested interest in getting our owners back.” “I know you’re concerned about Fagin but leave it to me. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to get him back safe and sound,” I patted his head, only for him to pull back with a look of determination. 

“No dice, doll face. You’re stuck with me, until Fagin and the others are back……..” “Dodger,” my hand ran over my face tiredly. “It won’t be so bad. Just think of me as your pet!” “You’re already someone’s pet,” I countered. “Fine; I’ll be your temporary dog,” Dodger smirked. I just looked at him with exasperation. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?” “Nope! And don’t think I won’t try; I got nothin’ but time,” he added for good measure. After watching him for another minute, I finally made myself relent. Who knows? It might not be so bad having a canine companion, so long as I can keep him from getting hurt. And he’s probably thinking the same thing about me. 

Dodger stretched and wagged his tail in victory. “Good. Now that that’s settled, I’m gonna go get myself some grub. I’m starved.” “Have a good dinner,” I waved as he left the room. I wasn’t sure when or if he was coming back, so I decided to leave my door unlocked. I did shut it however and go back to the balcony. It was still somewhat early out, and I wasn’t ready for bed. I had too much to think about before then- namely, what’s my next move. My cheek rested on my palm as I sighed to myself, staring out at the endless waves. Now what? Where do I go from here? What should I do? And more crucially, what can I do? 

That’s about how far I got in my thoughts before another presence- several presences actually- landed on my balcony. My head turned and I almost fell over as all the entities stared sternly back in my direction. I’d heard of them before but never imagined that I’d see them in real life……. Five huge gargoyles were on the balcony with me, and they seemed very intent on being there. While my jaw hung open, they took a quick study of me. 

“Is that her?” Lexington asked the others, pointing my way. “Aye, that’s Hades’s lass,” Hudson answered him. “H-How…… How do you know about…….?” I couldn’t finish my question; I was standing in front of these massive creatures of legend for god’s sake! “How do we know about you?” Luckily Brooklyn could speak for me. “Thanatos told us to find you,” Goliath reveals. “Thanatos?” My eyebrow rose confused. “Hades’s Thanatos; not our Xanatos,” Broadway clarified. “Ah,” I nodded in instant understanding; now I get it, they’re referring to another Greek relative. But wait…… Why would he…….? As if seeing the bewilderment on my face, Goliath carried on. 

“We hear you’re going to find all the missing adults.” “I-I……. I am, but how…….?” “They’re all gone back home too. Xanatos, the police, even Elisa……. She’s gone; they’re all gone,” Lexington said. “So as you can see, we too have someone we wish to bring back,” Goliath finished, making me look back at him. “I see…….. But wait. How come you didn’t disappear? You’re adults,” aren’t they? They quickly glanced at each other as if they never considered this before. “We turn to stone in the daylight, so technically we weren’t alive during the assault.” “Oh, I guess that makes sense…….” My fingers rubbed underneath my chin. 

“So?” Broadway prompted. “So what?” I blinked to him perplexed. “How are you going to do that? What’s your plan?” Brooklyn enlightened me. Oh! Oh……. “Uh, well um…… I don’t……. I don’t know yet. I don’t even know where they are, so I guess I’ll start with that,” my hand rubbed the back of my head in an uncomfortable manner. Then I noticed Hudson glance to their leader. “Goliath,” was all he said. Wait, what’s going on? 

I gave a little shriek as I was suddenly scooped up princess-style in the gargoyle’s arms. Mine instinctively wrapped around his neck. Man! His skin was like holding onto bronze. “What are you doing?!” I more pleaded for an answer than demanded one. I felt his biceps swell underneath me. “We’ve come to take you to them.” “Who’s “them”?!” “Those who haven’t vanished; they want to see you too. Now hold on tight- we have a way to go.” Before I could get another word in, he leapt off the balcony with me in toe, gliding gracefully among the currents of wind. The other gargoyles followed us. 

We flew for a long time, not stopping until we reached what looked to be a mix between a rain forest, jungle, and mountain wilderness. In somewhat of a clearing, Goliath finally landed and set me down onto my feet. After straightening out my hair, I looked up to find a series of animals all around- none of which I’d ever seen before. But I automatically knew who they all were, despite them not appearing so keen about me. Although I couldn’t possibly list them all here, the figures who particularly caught my eye were the Panther, Bagheera; the bear, Baloo; the foxes, Todd and Vixey; and the gorillas which I’m sure were Tarzan’s family. No humans were in sight save for me- as encouraging as that was. 

The moment my feet landed on the grass, a collective buzz stirred among the trees. I took the time to examine my surroundings until two small voices echoes up from where I was standing. “Oh look, Bernard! It’s her! She’s the girl who’s trying to find the people!” “Hmmmmm, she looks pretty young to me, Bianca.” These two adorable little mice were discussing me from right underneath me, strange as that sounds. Other distinct voices soon filled the area as I dumbfoundedly ogled down at them. 

“Look at her. What can she do? She’s just a puny human,” Terk scoffed unimpressed. “So? The kid was a boy when he took care of Shere Khan,” Baloo retorted. “She’s not Mowgli; she’s nothing but a little girl,” the wolf, Rama, spat. “Hey! Don’t assume she’s useless because of that. Mulan saved China when she was a few years older than her,” Musha argued. “It doesn’t matter what she’s capable of; it’s the moral question of whether she should try or not,” Akela pronounced with ethical authority. 

Being there with all these animals talking about me like I wasn’t even here was a surreal experience. I had no idea why they brought me here or how they knew I wanted to go on a quest to find the adults, but they all sure had an opinion about it. And by the sounds of it, the majority could be broken up into two sides: pro-quest and anti-quest. But why they had an opinion about it in the first place was beyond me. Things really got serious when the ground began to tremble with these gigantic stomps headed our way. I had just enough time to spin around to see this herd of elephants’ march towards us, led by the infamous Colonel Hathi. 

“Now, now! What’s with this illegal gathering?! You’re interrupting our patrol, I’ll have you know!” The lead elephant bellowed, as if completely oblivious to my existence. “You’re not the only ones who live in the forest,” Todd frowned. “Pop, look! A man-cub!” Hathi Jr. pointed at me with his trunk. Oh boy, was that a bad move. His father acted as if my mere presence was a deep insult. “What?! Another man-cub!? Oh, this is treason! They promised us no more humans in our territory! I won’t have it! Why is he here?!” “She, dear,” his wife, Winifred, corrected. “What?” He shot back at her. “She; it’s a female man-cub, dear.” “That’s entirely irrelevant! I want her back wherever she came from now!” 

“She’s here, Hathi, because all the adult humans- and the like living in the human kingdoms- have disappeared,” Bagheera explained to him in a serious tone. “And why should we concern ourselves with that? As par our agreement, the humans stay in their villages and we have the forest,” Hathi angrily countered. “I’m with Hathi, old boy. Why should we care about it? It doesn’t affect us that they’re gone,” King Louis tacked on. “We care because people we’ve loved and cherished have also vanished,” the bear, Kenai, stated. “You remember the man-cub? He’s grown up since you last saw him; he’s gone now too,” Baloo told the elephants, who didn’t look at all convinced. Hathi hmphed. 

“I still fail to see what this has to do with us.” “We’ve gathered here to discuss the scenario because this young man-cub wants to go and find them,” Bagheera referred to me. “So? If she wants to, let her I’d say,” Terk waved her paw in the air dismissively. “No, we’re can’t just let her go like that,” Akela asserted, surprising me. You mean they’re seriously contemplating stopping me from going? But why? I didn’t understand, and they we’re trying to be clear about it either. 

“I don’t see why not! Look, she’s young and strong; she’s older than Mowgli was when he faced the tiger. Why shouldn’t she go?” Clearly Baloo was on the pro-quest side. “Think about what that’ll mean, Baloo. She doesn’t even know where the adults are yet,” Kala pleaded with him. “And once she does, how do you expect her to bring them back? She’s just one child. As much as I want Merlin and Arthur back, it doesn’t dismiss the danger posed to Mal if she continues on with this,” Merlin’s owl, Archimedes, was the first one to use my name. Of course I peered over my shoulder wear he was perched on a branch. 

“What are you talking about? She can handle all that! She’s not just a girl; she’s a demi-god,” Mushu waved it off. “That doesn’t make her immune, and Mal has inherited man’s ability to get into trouble,” Bagheera frowned. “But she wants to go. I think we should let her. What’s the worst that can happen?” The alligator, Louis, threw in his two-cent. “She’s a minor, and we’re about to send a child to her death when we could have prevented it,” Akela reinforced. “So she’s still a kid, so what?” “I think she should go. We all have people we want back, and she’s our best chance so far,” Lexington spoke up, though a bit shyly. “Hmph. She’s our only chance,” Archimedes rolled his eyes. 

“No, we need to do what’s best for the girl,” I think Bagheera and Akela were the leaders of the anti-quest team. “Keeping her from her father is what’s best for her?” Bernard folded his tiny mouse arms. “You miss the point. We’re not trying to stop her from retrieving her father; we’re trying to save her from a deadly journey to get him,” Akela explained. Oh; oh, ok- I get it now. It was as if a light bulb had turned on above my head. They’re worried that something will happen to me if I keep searching for my father…….. This revelation made me both happy and confused; I still couldn’t understand why all these strangers had a vested interest in my welfare. There it was, though; if human adults weren’t around to worry about me, they’d certainly take up the mantel.

“Look, Baggie. I know you’re scared for her, but we want our humans back. If her going means I’ll get Mowgli back, then I think we should let her. We both know I’m not the only one who feels this way,” Baloo sounded like he was running out of patience on the manner. I suppose he missed Mowgli a lot, which is totally understandable. “Yes, lets. So long as it gets her out of my forest,” Hathi bitterly added. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to speak for the first time. I made sure to look at all of them so none of them felt singled out. 

“Actually, I want to go; I want to get my father back, and I’m willing to take whatever risks that may entail,” I announced so eloquently as possible. This caused everyone to pause momentarily to gaze at me, almost like they’d forgotten I was physically there. Half of them seemed surprised that I could even talk. Winifred came over to me, placing her trunk affectionally over my shoulder. “I know that you miss your father, dear. But you’re too young to understand these sorts of things,” her tone was almost patronizingly sweet. I immediately frowned, moving in such a way that her trunk fell off of me. 

“You make my feelings sound insincere and juvenile. I’m old enough to understand that I miss my father, and I’m not going to stop missing him. And more than that, I have a sense of loyalty towards him and I love him. That’s why I’m willing to take whatever risks there might be ahead of me. Shouldn’t the decision be mine in the end whether I go anywhere or not?” This was followed by a pregnant pause; my words were clearly resonating with them. But soon enough, those opposed to me going shook their heads. “Regardless how you may feel now, you’re still a child and therefore unable to make rational choices for yourself,” Akela stated matter-o-factly. My frowned grew in the corners. I didn’t see it that way, and I certainly didn’t think I needed their guardianship or permission to find Daddy. 

“You’re wrong. I think she’ll be just fine. She looks to have a good head on her shoulders to me,” Todd grinned at me. “She’s a child.” “And she’s our only hope. Come on, baggie; stop worrying. She’ll be alright.” “You can’t be sure about that, Baloo. And another thing: sooner or later, Mal will meet the Horned King.” 

The very instance Bagheera said this, the whole atmosphere changed, darkened. It’s like the mere mention of his name was enough to send fear into their hearts. Even Baloo looked taken aback some. Bernard and Bianca looked at each other worriedly. “Oh dear. I forgot all about him,” she muttered to herself. “Who’s the Horned King?” I inquired curious; this was my first time hearing about him. All eyes were suddenly on me once more, and no one dared answer my question. Instead, after an extremely tense moment, Kala forced a grin my way. “No one, sweetheart; just forget we mentioned anything.” “But I…….” I began before Akela cut me off. “Trust us, the less you know about him, the better.” “More like the less he knows about you, the better,” Mushu uttered under his breath. 

“Alright, enough of this. It’s getting late,” Goliath gazed up to the sky; it was getting dark out rather quickly now. “We need to make a decision,” Bernard rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s put it to a vote!” Louis said with enthusiasm. “You’re going to vote on my future?” I asked incredulously. This was getting insane; and here I thought having no adults in my life would give me more freedom. “Don’t be ridiculous! We can’t possibly vote on something so serious,” Bagheera scoffed. “Why not? It’s the democratic thing to do,” Broadway scratched his head. “Hmph, we all know democracy is flawed,” Archimedes folded his wings. “But it’s the best thing we’ve got. All in favour of Mal continuing to try and find the grown-ups, raise your hand,” Baloo was the first to put his paw up. Several followed his example. “And those opposed,” Bagheera raised his up, and so did a few others. It was clear which side won. Akela and Bagheera looked mildly horrified at the outcome. 

“Good. Now that that’s settled, you can get her outta here,” with that, Hathi and his squad marched back into the forest, clearing all flora and fauna in their path. Once they were gone, Bagheera came right up to me; he honestly looked like he was going to be sick with worry. “Now you be sure to be careful. It’s a dangerous world out there, and we’re not the only ones left in it.” We’re not the only ones left in it? What did he mean by that comment? There weren’t any adults, good or bad, around anymore, were there? My eyes narrowed a tad. Were there? And just who was this Horned King he mentioned earlier? He said that we’d eventually meet, but that would suggest that he didn’t disappear along with the other adults. That’s impossible, isn’t it……… Isn’t it? 

“Oh, you’ll be fine! Just don’t talk to any strangers!” Baloo came up behind me to give me a great big bear hug. This was preceded by Kenai’s younger bear brother, Koda, coming over to climb up into my arms. I had to be careful of his sharp claws. “You will bring the humans back, won’t you Miss? Kenia misses his brother,” he told me in that adorable voice of his. I observed him for a minute before nodding. “I’ll do my best.” 

Goliath lifted me back up into his arms after this and flew off with me and the other gargoyles. Along the way, they explained the situation to me. Apparently my relative, Thanatos, heard Hades was missing and was sent to check on me by the other gods. Instead of finding me, he met the gargoyles, who were searching for clues to the missing humans’ whereabouts in the forest at the time. The animals overheard their conversation and had a mixed array of reactions to the news- obviously. They were arguing amongst themselves whether I should continue my journey or not, and finally decided it was best to meet me in person. Thus, the gargoyles came for me at the castle. 

Once back at the castle, Goliath set me down onto my feet. They all wished me the best of luck and said that they’re returning to their own castle. Before leaving, Goliath gave me a piece of advice. “Demigod or not, it makes no difference. You are nothing else but what you make of yourself, and freedom is not what you are but what you do with what’s been done to you. You only set yourself apart from others by your actions. Remember that.” 

I waved goodbye to the gargoyles as they took off. Then, to be frankly honest, I stumbled backwards into my room. It wasn’t until my back hit a wall that I stopped. My eyes wandered off into space, my mind was a frenzied mess. My hand rose up to press against my forehead. What……. what the hell was all that?! What happened just now? Some gargoyles came to my balcony and spirited me away to a bunch of animals who all wanted to meet me. This all happened to me, not because of me. Well, indirectly it did, I guess. Still……. what happened again?! I couldn’t get my head wrapped around it. 

Just then, my door opened, and my back bucked so hard in shock. My eyes shot over to see Dodger stroll in nonchalantly. “Now that was some good grub. Hiya, Mal. Boy, you’ve been quiet in here. Take a nap or somethin’?” And all I could do was gawk at him utterly speechless. He didn’t know……. I bet no one in the castle knew what just happened to me or where I went. And I kept it that way.


	10. Wherever You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal is trying to figure out what her next move should be.

(Author’s Note: I referred to what happened to Lampwick (boy from Pinocchio) from Carlo Collodi’s book, The Adventures of Pinocchio. If you don’t know what happens to him after Pleasure Island, don’t read! It incredibly sad. Just know that he doesn’t get a happy ending and that in specific is what cements Mal’s profound fear of the coachman) 

Horned King, Horned King……. I can’t find anything on the Horned King. Jay had the idea this morning that, although he was sure well-researched, Doug might have missed something in his comb through the libraries. After some bitter words were exchanged, it was agreed that we’d search the library for anything that may give us some clues on our parents’ whereabouts. The lot of us were spread out on the floor and chairs with pile of books everywhere. No one asked me what I specifically was researching; I suppose they assumed I was looking up the same stuff they were. 

With a long sigh, I closed and set down the book in my lap. I wasn’t getting anywhere; all my labours were in vain thus far. There was nothing on the Horned King in any of these books. Strange. All the animals last night seemed to know who he was, but I had never heard of him before. What’s stranger is the fact that I knew everyone in existence in our world- well, older than me anyway. How could there be someone who’s older who I don’t know? It simply didn’t make any sense whatsoever. I sighed again in frustration and Evie glanced over to me. 

“Find anything, Mal?” “Nothing. How’s your search going?” I asked, already knowing her answer would be a schism from mine. I hadn’t uttered a word about the Horned King to any of them. [“More like the less he knows about you, the better.”] For obvious reasons. Evie also let out a sigh and shut her book. “I didn’t find anything either. Nothing like this has ever happened before. There’s no hints as to where to go next.” Doug rolled his eyes dramatically. “See? I already told you I went through all this before you got here,” his arms threw up into the air. Evie immediately rushed over to his side, looking all pensive. “Oh no! We believe you, Doug; of course we do. We’re just…… out of ideas. I mean, where do you go after all the adult disappear?” Those last few words resonated with me. After all the adults disappear…….. My eyes scrolled over to the glass-stained window high up on the wall. I wonder where you do go after something like that. 

My attention was instantly brought back by a hand landing overtop my shoulder. I blinked to see Ben smiling down at me; it was his hand which was resting me. “Don’t worry, Mal. We’ll keep looking,” he reassured me…… for some reason. Still, wanting to be polite, I mirrored his kind expression. “Thanks, Ben. I appreciate your help.” “You could be more help,” Dodger, who’d been sleeping beside me the whole time, yawned with a stretch. While Ben was mildly amused, Charles frowned. “I don’t think all these dogs should be in the library,” he scoffed. I wasn’t the only one with a new animal friend; ever since he petted them, Carlos had been inseparable with a number of dalmatian puppies. They liked him too, it seemed. He was currently sitting on the floor with a bunch of dogs snuggling up against him. It was a precious sight, to be honest. Apparently, not everyone thought so, however.

Luckily for Carlos- and for me- Ben had somewhat of a soft side for animals. Since he was the prince and heir apparent, he had final say to everything here on Auradon. He said our pets could stay with us, so they stayed. Not that they were much help in our research; more moral support than anything. 

After another hour of reading, all in vain, we decided to call it quits. “This was such a waste of time,” Audrey stretched her hands clasped together above her while groaning. I didn’t say anything; I just peered back to my own stack of books, all volumes on villains. That’s when it hit me. Villains……. Wait a minute. Maybe there’s nothing in here because we’re looking in the wrong place. An idea suddenly sprang to mind. I spun around to face the group with new determination. 

“Ben?” “Yes, Mal?” He didn’t hesitate to look at me. “Would it be alright with you if I visited the Museum of Cultural History? I-I don’t want to steal any of the artefacts! But I just wanna check something.” Who knows? Maybe there’d be something on the Horned King there, though I wasn’t hopeful. Still, I wanted to be sure. After a minute of watching me intently, his bright grin returned. “Sure. I’ll go with you, if you want.” “I wanna go too! I’ve never been a museum before,” Jay announced. “Me too,” Carlos, holding a puppy in his arms, agreed. “Let’s all go!” Jane enthusiastically proclaimed. “Pass,” Audrey and Charles rolled their eyes. The rest of us went to the museum together. 

It was a sort of titanic place, with this overwhelming feel of hero superiority and the myth of morality constantly beating evil. It was very clear who the “good guys” were, even down to the paint colours on the wall. The “Wing of Evil” had this particular bad taste to it; wax figures of all our parents were put up on display to be ogled at and judged. I didn’t like it from the moment I entered the room. It didn’t help either that at the centre was a statue of my mother……. 

I rushed past the effigy without so much as a glance, which proved to backfire on me. While my fellow VKs less than admired the displays of their parents, I wandered through in sort of a mind fog. That only lasted until I reached a certain display……. The one of my father, and his defeat at my cousin Hercules’s hands. My feet immediately ground to a halt allowing me to gawk up at the sculpture. 

Daddy! My lips parted a sliver as I remembered to breathe. Daddy……. It looked just like him; it even had his eyes. I could already feel the tears start to well up in the corner of my eyes. My hand rose up slowly, hesitating for a moment, then moving closer to caress the figurine. It was like all the pain I felt that first night he vanished came flooding back; it was like whatever wound was healing was violently ripped open again. Every inch, every fibre of me was nothing but pure agony in that instant- my existence was only unadulterated pain right then. Daddy……. Memories began to fly through my mind, each passing faster than the last. Yet despite how quickly they came and went, each left a deep, sincere impression on me. Yes, I remember….. I want to remember- I want to remember everything about you, Daddy. Daddy…… Daddy……. Daddy! I hiccupped as a single tear dripped down my cheek. I swear I’m going to do everything in my power to bring you back…….. And if I should ever feel lonely during my journey, I’ll remember you. Those memories we share make me stronger. I know that whatever happens, I’m not alone……. because of you. 

Ben must have noticed my grave reaction upon finding my father’s statue, since he came over to my side. My head gently turned in his direction where he grinned sadly at me. Instead of giving me words of encouragement or support, he quietly touched my hand. Then, after staring at each other for a moment, he gave my hand a squeeze and left me. I think he couldn’t have handled the situation better; I was in no position to discuss this out loud. I think instead he was silently telling me “it’ll be ok”, and I was grateful for it. 

I stayed there for a few minutes like that before I was ready to move on. The other villain exhibits were interesting to me, but nothing related to the Horned King showed up. I had just passed Madame Mim’s display when I reached Captain James Hook’s corner. My heart leapt into my throat; feelings of the exact opposite nature to those of Daddy’s display filled me. Captain Hook- Harry’s father…….. I spotted his hook- the genuine hook of Captain Hook- sitting on a pillow without protection. My hand stretched out again to touch it; this time much faster. I was holding it at the time Ben’s voice called out to all of us. “Come on, you guys! Let’s go back to the castle for some lunch. We can come back later.” 

That was all the instruction my friends needed. The collective mood among the VKs was dismay and a little disgust; we had no idea our parents were viewed like this. I, however……. After the other VKs left the hall, Ben approached me. “Coming, Mal?” He asked friendly enough; he always had this certain kind tone whenever he talked to me. A tone I never heard him use with anyone else. I spun around with my hands nonchalantly behind my back. “Coming!” I told him. With a nod, he followed the others and I waited until he was gone before letting out a long sigh. In my hands behind me was Captain Hook’s hook, which I took with me. It wasn’t Harry’s hook, but it still reminded me of him, and for that reason alone, I wanted to keep it close to me. I took it and kept it in my bedroom- and no one ever asked where it went.

After eating some lunch together in the cafeteria- which we made ourselves- we all went on a walk around the grounds. I wanted to check on the Argo so we scrolled to the seaside. Along the way, we played this sort of game where one person would ask a personal question and we’d all answer it. They were the type of “get to know you” questions like everyone’s favourite food, favourite place, their best memory, etc. It was Jay’s turn to ask a question, which preluded to everyone’s worst fears. “Oh, that’s easy. Spiders- hands down,” Doug answered. “Really?” Evie blinked to him surprised. “Have you seen them? They’re terrifying! What with their creepy, crawly little legs, and six beady eyes.” “What about you, Mal?” Jane asked me. “Huh?” I perked up, not really paying attention until now. “What’s your worst fear?” 

Jane asked this by the time we finally reached the coast. I wasn’t looking at her when I replied, but out at the water. The Argo was fine, looking just the way we left it. My eyes were on the horizon the next time I spoke. “The coachman…… I’m most afraid of the coachman.” “The coachman?” This answer seemed to confuse everyone. “Uh, you do know that the coachman doesn’t exist, right?” Audrey shot back with attitude. “He’s just a story parents tell little boys to behave better,” Lonnie’s tone was nicer. “I don’t know. How can you be sure he isn’t real?” Evie pondered. “Because no one’s ever seen him. Duh,” Charles’s eyes rolled unimpressed. “But Pinocchio said that he took him to Pleasure Island,” Jane retorted. “So? He was a puppet. You gonna trust someone made of wood who, by the way, didn’t have a real brain at the time? There is no Pleasure Island or coachman; it’s all a myth,” Audrey huffed with no sympathy. 

I had stopped listening by then. Uma made it clear to me that I’m the only one on the Isle of the Lost, and on Auradon apparently, who knows the truth. Peter Pan and the Lost Boys also knew, but they had a more immediate risk from him. So long as they knew, and I could protect Harry from him, I didn’t want to discuss the coachman further. Lest I cry over Lampwick’s fate yet again. 

No. Instead of paying attention to their ill-known conversation, I was staring out at the blue sea very steadily. Pieces were starting to come together in my mind. Little bits of information gathered here and there- they were beginning to fit together. All I know now is that our parents aren’t here or in the Isle of the Lost. Therefore, they must be somewhere else. Even if my father- by his divinity- is the only one left alive, he is not anywhere I’ve been thus far. So, the logic dictates that if I want to find him, I’ll have to leave Auradon. The question is where do I go from here? I doubt the adults are on Neverland, and Wonderland is devoid of grown-ups now too. Where else was there to go? And that leads to my second main question: where is the Horned King? Somehow, I have this sneaking suspicion that they’re connected. I mean, it couldn’t just be coincidence that all other adults vanish except for him…….. could it? Was the Horned King even an adult? He’s a king, after all, so he must be……. Regardless, he’s not here either. Whether searching for him or the parents, all the evidence points to me leaving again…… As if to confirm this, the sea breeze blew right at that moment to brush my hair against the side of my cheek. It was urging me outwards……

I paused for a moment, then after breathing in a long breath, turned around to face my friends. They were still conversing amongst themselves with passioned opinions. Oh boy, this might be painful……. My mouth opened, but it took a second for any words to formulate. “I think…… I think I need to leave the island,” I said to none of them in particular. All heads spun my way and voiced quieted. I honestly don’t think any of them were expecting me to say that. But eventually, Evie took a nervous step towards me. “Leave? W-Where?” I shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I just…… think I need to sail around for a bit; see what’s out there. Maybe I’ll find something……. something we’re missing.” 

Jay looked very, very worried now. He also came a few steps in my direction. “Then we’ll come with you, Mal. We’ll go together.” The moment he said this, it felt like someone punched me in the gut. [“We're not trying to stop her from retrieving her father; we're trying to save her from a deadly journey to get him.”] I remember……. I remember what the animals told me last night, and how scared they were for me. That must not be for no reason…….. and I still refused to risk my friends lives when it can be avoided. It had to be me, and I had to go alone. They all held their breaths as I shook my head. 

“It’d be better if I went alone. You stay here and wait in case they come back. I won’t be gone long, I promise. I’m just checking the area,” I forced a confident grin. None of them were pleased by this. “No, Mal. We gotta stick together.” “Evie’s right. It’s not safe for you to go on your own,” Carlos added. “But nothing’s going to happen to me. Look, I won’t take the Argo if you want. I can transform into a dragon and fly around if that’ll make you feel better.” “But Mal…….” 

“No.” All our eyes shot over to a stern and determined-looking Ben. My own eyes widened in confusion. “No?” “No, you’re not leaving Auradon alone, Mal. It’s just plain old not safe; I won’t allow it.” While I was eyeing him like he was speaking a foreign language, Evie’s head turned to Jay. “What’s happening? Did he just tell Mal she can’t leave?” “I…… I think so? Can he…… can he do that?” “He’s the crowned prince. According to the law, he can,” Doug gasped, sounding equally as startled. “Uh correction: he’s your prince, not ours. The Isle of the Lost doesn’t have a monarch,” Carlos informed him. “That’s right. Mal can go if she wants to; but not without us,” Jay was quick to tack on. While the VKs and a few of the good kids were shocked by this show of authority, Audrey was unimpressed. She let out a huff, planting her hand on her slanted hip. 

“Ugh, why do you even care, Benny? Let her go; it’ll be less crowded here with her gone.” “Heh, you’re just jealous that he gave her the tower suite,” Charles teased Audrey. She instantly grew red in the face with rage. “He did what?!” She couldn’t have sounded more jealous. But she had nothing to be jealous about; I’m sure Ben looked at me with nothing more than friendship. He’s just being kind- and controlling- because he knows how sad my father’s disappearance made me. That’s it, right? Still, this display of power of my actions astonished me beyond words. Only Harry’s ever talked to me like that before, and I knew his was purely out of worry and love for me. I know that sounds like I’m justifying his behaviour but trust me- if you knew Harry, you’d understand. But Ben here…….. I couldn’t fathom why he was so concerned for me. It didn’t make sense…….. 

Seeing the perplexity in my expression, Ben’s face softened as he took a few steps towards me. “I know you want to find your father and the other adults, Mal. But you can’t just do this on your own; you need our help.” “Uh, I don’t think that’s true,” I replied truthfully. While I didn’t think my skills were so superior to theirs, I wasn’t comfortable risking their lives the same way I was with mine. Ben was a little taken aback by my remark but remained steadfast in his decision. He gave his head a shake. 

“No leaving on your own- I forbid it. I’m sorry, Mal, but it’s too dangerous. If you leave Auradon, we’re coming with you……. I’m coming with you.” I should have realized what those last couple of words meant…… I should have known better, but I didn’t. They didn’t seem to have any extra meaning to me right then- that display of ignorance is on me. Instead my eyes rolled out into nowhere as I considered what he just said; the first part, I mean. I see……. I won’t be able to talk myself out of this one it looks like. Well in that case…….. 

For the first time since I faced Ben, I smiled at him. “Alright.” “Alright?!” Evie, Jay, and Carlos almost fell over. The good kids even looked surprised by my response. But my expression was natural and vulnerable. “I won’t leave Auradon without your permission or accompaniment, Ben.” “Mal!” Evie gasped incredulous. “You’re going to let him boss you around like that?!” Jay demanded. “Carlos is right; he’s not our prince. But we are on Auradon soil and therefore must follow their rules. We came here for help, don’t forget; not to make problems,” I assured my friends. “Then let’s pack up and go back home. We can figure something out there,” Jay fired back. My head simply shook. “We don’t have time. If we’re going to do this, we’ll do it together and as soon as possible. Besides, they can help us.” 

I should note that I said this but had no intention on keeping my promise if opportunity presented itself. Like hell I was actually going to put any of them at risk if I didn’t have to. I only told Ben this to reassure him more than anything. And judging by the still surprised but relieved look on his face, I’d say he bought it. His eyes also scrolled out into space as if he was contemplating what to say next; I think he was expecting me to put up more of a fight. 

“T-Thank you, Mal. And don’t worry, we’ll still go, but we’ll do it together. I promise you I’ll do everything I can to find them alongside you,” Ben tried to sound kind towards me, and I appreciated his attempt. But my eyes still drew back to the endless body of crystal blue water, where the dolphins were currently splashing around. I don’t know why but in that second, I thought of Harry- of Harry and how much I……. My lips instinctively parted a tiny bit. There is this great divide in me, Harry. Sometimes I don’t realize it, and other times it’s overpowering. 

I know I exist in two places: here and wherever you are.


	11. Having Mal Near

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben invites Mal to a picnic.

I awoke the next morning to sunshine pouring into my room. After my eyes slowly fluttered, I tossed and turned in my bed a little. Eventually I rolled onto my side and looked at my right hand. It had been clutching Captain Hook’s hook all night long; I slept with it beside me. In order to prevent poking my eye out with its sharp tip, I wrapped the whole thing up in a scarf, save for the handle which I clasped. I gave it a warm, affectionate smile before peered down to the end of my bed. Dodger was still fast asleep at the foot, where he’d been all night. I could feel the light warmth of his bed permeating through the sheets. He only began to stir when I got out of bed. 

Dodger yawned with a stretch; I think dogs did that a lot. Then he grinned and looked my way. “Now that’s the way to sleep. Sure beats crashing on an old blow-up tube,” with a shake of the head, he looked at me. “Glad you slept well. So did I.” Once up, I safely hid the hook under my pillow where I could find it tonight. Dodger didn’t appear to notice, hopping down onto the floor and stretching his front legs again. “You know, I could get used to the palace life.” “Let me talk to the king and queen when they return. Maybe they’ll let Fagin move in with all you guys,” I told him with a pat on the head. “That’d be swell, chick,” he grinned back at me; or as much as a dog can grin. 

I straightened up and Dodger began to sniff the air. “Huh, that’s weird.” “What?” “I smell…… flowers.” “Flowers?” My eyebrow raised. He sniffed a second time; being much more conscious now. “Out there,” his head spun towards the bedroom door. Curious, I went to open it, only to find a dozen long-stemmed red roses wrapped up on the ground. Someone had placed a bouquet out here for me to find; there was no card or name attached to the parcel. Delighted to the point of speechlessness, I snatched it up- albeit carefully- and carried it over to the little round dark-wood table near the enormous balcony window. Dodger watched me unwrap them, admiring each blossom with intensity. 

“They’re beautiful! Oh, I love them so much! They couldn’t be more perfect!” My hands clasped together joyfully. “They’re pretty,” my dog ventured to agree. I lifted one up to bring to my nose- the scent was enchanting and rapturous. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous……. Then it occurred to me, though it wasn’t a big concern of mine. “I wonder who brought them…….?” Dodger’s head moved in such a way so he could eye me. “You really want to know?” This caused me to blink down at him puzzled, and he simply smirked back. “I can tell you who left them. His scent is all over the place.” I should have picked up on the word “him”, but again, it failed to register any specific importance in my brain. I knew it couldn’t possibly be Harry, and that was enough to dull any real interest from me. 

I shook my head and set the rose I was holding down. “No, let me keep my fantasies. I don’t need to know……. They’ve already brought me so much happiness,” my lips curled to a gentle smile. Dodger observed my poised bodily response and didn’t push the issue any further. I think he knew…….. After all, it’s not like he couldn’t smell Captain Hook’s hook in bed with us last night either. 

After getting dressed and putting my treasured roses in a crystal vase, I went to join the others back in the library- that was our unofficial destination whenever we wanted to mull over the current situation. Recently we’d been spending more and more time in there, despite the overwhelming nice weather outside. Everyone was there this morning, save Ben and Carlos. I already knew that Carlos would be taking care of the pets presently occupying the castle garden. However, Ben’s location was unknown at the moment. Not overly concerned with that, we were thinking out loud to each other; just throwing out whatever came to mind. 

“Have we looked at all the maps?” Jay pondered while pacing the floor. “Yes. And every map we have is of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost- that’s it. I mean, I know there’s more out there. I know there’s Neverland and Wonderland, but none of these maps show us where they are,” Doug’s hand rubbed his forehead in agony. I looked his way, thinking about what he just said. Peter Pan would know how to get to Neverland; I doubt though the Cheshire Cat could be reliable in his directions. I really wanted to see either of them right then, if just to see a familiar face. Letting out a sigh, my eyes drifted off into nowhere. But he doesn’t know I’ve left the island…….. 

Jay threw up his arms in defeat. “Now what are we supposed to do? Just pick a direction and sail off, hoping we eventually find something?” “Doesn’t look like we have much of a choice,” Evie groaned. “Not unless Mal transforms into a dragon and flies around in search of well……. anything,” Lonnie rose her hand up in a throw away fashion. “Out of the question. You heard Ben last night; we do this together,” Jay retorted with a bit of authority; I think he liked the fact that Ben laid- or at least tried to- down some boundaries. “Then what do you suggest? Cause we’re out of ideas,” Charles tossed his head back in his chair; he hadn’t been particularly helpful the whole time. I was about to say something when all of a sudden, a little blue bird flew up to me; it had a rolled-up note in its beck. My eyes grew as I read it. [Meet me outside in the pavilion. B.] Huh, it’s from Ben. Wonder what he wants. 

As per his request, I discreetly made my exit and wandered out to the pavilion. It was white with a very pretty roof and surround by a sea of fresh flowers. Ben was already there standing by a made-up little, round table. Curious, I approached him with a look of confusion. “What’s all this?” My hand rose up to my chest as I reached him. He flashed me a brilliant smile in return. “I thought we could have lunch together.” “We usually eat lunch together,” I gently countered, not quite grasping what was going on. His grin merely widened in the edges. “True, but I thought today it might be nice to have a picnic out here…….. by ourselves. Do you like it? This is my favourite place to come study.” “It’s beautiful,” I admired the whole setting. “I knew you’d like it. Come,” Ben’s hand extended out for mine. Taking it, he helped me step onto the pavilion. Then he pulled out a chair for me. “Thank you,” I obviously took a seat opposite him. 

Ben immediately started serving the food. There were little finger sandwiches, petit fours, slices of fruit, and lots and lots of tea. He gave me some of everything on a cute white plate laced with painted flowers along the edge. I smiled at him, lowering my eyes upon receiving it. “Thanks, Ben. This is very kind of you. Though I only wish there was a way I could to repay you.” “Oh no! Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad to be having lunch with you.” “Really?” This surprised me somewhat. Why would he want to eat with me in specific? Or maybe I’m reading this wrong and he’s trying to be friendly. Like he wants to establish a friendship with me. Oh ok, I get it now. Awe, I couldn’t help but grow my grin at the notion. He didn’t have to try so hard; I already liked him. I thought we were already friends- I definitely had a platonic affection for him. Maybe I needed to be more clear with how I felt. Realizing that, I gazed at him with the upmost kindness and gratitude. 

“Thank you for this, Ben. I appreciate it; I really do.” This seemed to delight him, as he smiled and made up his own plate. He proceeded to pour me a cup of tea, but in a show of friendship, I waited until he took the first bite of cake to begin eating. It looked like we had the same idea however, when he glanced up to me wonderingly. “Go ahead, Mal. You eat first,” he softly urged. Well, in that case…… I didn’t hesitate anymore to take a nibble of a cherry. Satisfied with this, Ben started to eat his sandwich. 

Neither of us said anything right away, simply enjoying the food and pleasant atmosphere. In time, when it felt quite natural to do so, Ben grinned over my way. “You know, Mal. I think I’ve told you this before, but I’ve never met anyone quite like you.” “Really?” I wiped the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand, not really sure if I believed him or not. I didn’t think I was all that special. Still, I let him indulge in his beliefs. He nodded. “You’ve got a good, innate moral compass. Being near you, talking to you- it makes me want to be a better person myself.” “Oh, Ben! I don’t deserve that kind of compliment!” My hand instantly rose up bashful. This was met with a gentle laugh. “See? That’s just the thing; you don’t think you’re overly virtuous or good, but you are. You are without trying……..” “Ben,” my cheeks blushed a tad. I still think he might be mistaken but didn’t address it further. 

“Now you tell me something, Mal. What do you think of Auradon so far?” The prince leaned back in his chair and folded his arms in a relaxed manner. I thought about this for a minute, letting my eyes drift into space. “I like it; of course I like it! Your parents’ rule over a very beautiful and strong kingdom. I’m happy you’re going to inherit this gem one day; you’ll make a good king, Ben,” I said then paused. I had to stop momentarily before continuing. My lips sucked in a deep, deep breath. “But……. but this doesn’t feel like home. Honestly, it didn’t feel like home back on the Isle of the Lost either. Not since………” All words suddenly turned to cotton in the middle of my throat. Ben’s grin began to fade as his arms lowered. “Since your dad disappeared?” He finished for me. I nodded, unable to look him in the eye; instead they locked onto my hands now clasped on my lap. When he didn’t respond, I felt like I needed to say more. 

“To be honest, even when he was there, I never really……. fit in. Daddy loved me, and my Greek relatives accepted me, but the other villain parents……. They thought I was too good to be around their kids. I was constantly ostracised and shunned; and the older I got, the worst it was.” A pregnant pause inserted itself here. “I suppose it was my fault; I could have tried harder to be bad, but……. My family up on Olympus told me over and over again to be true to myself. I know they had their own agenda which happened to coincide with my natural personality.” Another lull in the conversation. “I didn’t mind being outcasted too much. The only thing……. I had this childhood friend who I simply adored. I thought we’d always be together, but maybe that was my fault too. Heh, I should have known I’d reached heaven too soon. It was too good to last……..” I let my voice trail off. Ben waited for a second before parting his own lips. 

“What happened?” “Our parents separated us when we were twelve years old. I cried for I don’t know how long. I lost my best friend…….. the only person I loved on the island other than Daddy. We joined different friend groups and still saw each other from time……. but it wasn’t the same. And yet, it is still the same. Our circumstance is different, but our feelings haven’t changed,” I sighed wistfully, resting my chin in the palm of my hand. “She sounds like someone very special,” Ben said, and I didn’t catch the mis-gendered pronoun. My mind was somewhere far, far away from here at present. To wherever he was……… 

I eventually straightened my back up and looked at Ben; a soft, small, sad grin rolled over my face. “It’s alright though. No matter where I am, I know our feelings won’t change. They’re safe inside our hearts. There, beside my love and devotion to my father…….. To be honest, I’m surprised I’m not the only one who left the island to find the adults, but I kind of wish it was that way. I don’t want anyone to get hurt if it can be avoided.” To this, Ben chuckled softly, giving his head a little shake. “You’re not the only one willing to take those risks, Mal. You need to let others in and rely on us. Trust me, you’re not alone anymore; we’re beside you now.” “Thanks, Ben,” my grin widened organically. 

Ben sighed, leaning back in his seat and joining his hands on his torso. “You know, Mal……. In a way, I’m just…… happy to hear it.” “Happy to hear what?” I blinked. “Oh, everything. It’s just nice to hear you open up and talk to me like that.” “Oh, really?” This surprised me. Once more his head nodded. “I admit, I can’t relate to the feeling of being outcasted. I’ve always been pretty popular…… not that I’m bragging! It’s just nice to hear a different perspective. I’m sorry about what you went through, especially with your best friend, but you’ve only proven to me that you are special.” “I’m not special.” “Oh, yes you are, and I’m not talking about you being good when you were raised to value evil. No, it’s more than that……..” His eyes lowered. “Ben!” My hand rose up to my chest again. 

“I guess what I’m trying to say- poorly- is that I’m happy you can talk to me so openly. You can tell my anything you want, Mal; I’ll listen.” “W-Well, thank you, Ben. You can talk to me seriously too.” He laughed. “I know. It’s just so nice to talk to you period.” “It’s nice to talk to you too, Ben. It’s feels good to have a friend off the island.” “Oh, I’m glad we’re friends. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I can feel it already. Somehow without my ever noticing it, it feels so natural, having you near.”


	12. Descent To The Underworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanatos comes to take Mal down to the underworld.

I was in my room, lounging on a pink armchair with Dodger’s head relaxing on my lap; my hand was continuously stroking it. My eyes rolled to outside my balcony and he could sense something was wrong. “Hey, chick? You ok?” His voice was peppered with concern. In place of a verbal reply, I gazed down to him and grinned sadly. My fingers scratched behind his ear, which he very much enjoyed. 

Just then there was a soft tapping at my door. Our heads spun to see Jay pop his head inside. “Hello? Mal?” “Come on in Jay,” Dodger moved his head and I got up to greet him. He approached me with a pensive expression. “I just wanted to check and see how you’re doing,” his hand rubbed the back of his neck as he said this. I smiled sincerely at him. “I’m alright. I’m just……..” “I know…… It’s frustrating having no leads to go on. But we’re not gonna stop trying. We’ll think of something…….. soon enough,” that last part of his sentence wasn’t as confident as I’m sure he’d like. And I’m sure he knew that too. Still, I appreciated the sentiment. My hand reached over to give his a squeeze. 

“Thanks, Jay. I’m glad you guys are here with me.” Jay didn’t’ say anything immediately, just kept his eyes locked onto mine. Eventually his hand gave mine a tender squeeze back. “You know, Mal……. I uh…… I know things weren’t always easy for you on the Isle of the Lost, even before all this started……” “It’s ok, Jay. It’s not your fault; there’s nothing you or anyone else could have done. Your dad never liked me either. That’s just the way it was.” Jay hesitated for a moment. Then his lips parted ever so slightly. “We’re weren’t real close friends back on the island, but I’m glad we are friends.” This, of course, made me smile. “Me too, Jay. Me too…….” Our hands fell out from one another. Jay flashed me a kind, understanding grin. 

“Good night, Mal.” “Good night, Jay. Have a good sleep.” “You too,” he spun around to exit the room. But before he did, he paused one last time to glance over his shoulder at me. His hand rested on the door post. “I’m sure he misses you too.” “Who? Daddy?” He shook his head gently. Our stares fixed for a second time, with his gaze lowering a little. “Harry.” Oh! Oh……. My jaw dropped open a bit, but I didn’t say a single word. Jay gave me one more smile and left down the hall. Meanwhile I peered back out at the sea through the window. I stared, and remembered…….. 

That didn’t last too long, however. I stumbled backwards, lifting my arms up to protect my face at the sudden and very strong wind zooming into my room. The balcony doors burst open, letting in the cool salty air; a gust overcame me. In an instant, Dodger was over at my side and in a ready, protective stance. “Hang on, Mal!” He shouted. The incredibly strong wind kept coming and coming, until I reopened my eyes to see a figure land just on the edge of inside my room. From the moment I saw him, my gaze couldn’t have widened any more. Standing right there in front of me was god of literal death, Thanatos. 

Thanatos. I was related to Thanatos distantly. He was the son of Nyx- or Night- and Erebos- or Darkness. Now one thing you gotta know about Thanatos is that he is the personification of death. Unlike my father, Hades, who is king of the underworld, it is technically Thanatos’s job to physically collect souls from individuals- thus effectively killing them. He then was responsible for guiding the souls of the dead to the underworld, where Hades would rule over them. But I should note that he’s not a Psychopompos like my cousin Hermes sometimes is. In essence, he works for Daddy; he’s like an eternal employee of Hades. 

I should also mention that he’s not particularly the most well-liked of my Greek relatives. I’d never met him before, but Daddy described him as being stiff and quote “merciless”. He also wasn’t known as being the brightest god either. This one time he got captured by a mortal king named Sisyphus. Boy, Daddy found a special place in Tartarus for him when he eventually died. So yeah, a distant cousin with somewhat of a dubious reputation and recognized for his short comings. 

The way he looks is also worth explaining. His skin was dark, but not in a different colour sort of way. He was actually very pale but had this constant aura of black surrounding him; it was like a black mist followed him everywhere he went. On his back were these massive black-feathered wings, like angel wings. His hair was white but looked darker thanks to the black aura. He wore nothing but a cloth around his waist; he didn’t look that strong due to a lack of muscle. What caught my attention the most however, were his eyes. They had solid white pupils which broken through the darkness. The edges of his eyes radiated this black misty substance, thicker than what surrounded him. When he looked at you, that black stuff floated in your direction. It was honestly a pretty frightening sight.

So frightening in fact, that Dodger began to growl threateningly. His back arched as he positioned himself in between me and the intruder. “Stay back! I’ll chase him outta here!” He cried to me. Thanatos acted as if Dodger wasn’t even here. “Mal, I take it?” His voice……. Well how do I describe it? It echoed- actually echoed- as he spoke. That was cool, in a sort of intimidating way. After a nervous gulp, I nodded. “And you…… You’re Thanatos, aren’t you?” “I’ve come to take you with me,” he said in that echoy voice of his, completely ignoring my question. I gasped in shock, instinctively sliding my feet back a few steps. He rolled his eyes at this. “I’m taking you to Hades’s castle in the underworld. Your uncle sent me. The Fates will be there any minute; you wanted to talk to them, didn’t you?” His tone wasn’t so patient now. 

“The underworld? Wait….. The Fates?! The Fates are down there?!” My eyes suddenly lit up in realization. Dodger, now grasping that this god wasn’t there to murder me, blinked back to me confused. “Who’re the Fates?” He inquired. “I…… I need to talk to them! Yes! Yes, take me down! Take me with you!” Without any hesitation, I now rushed over to Thanatos with open arms. Dodger was alarmed by this abrupt change in my demeanour. “Wait, wait; hold it, Mal! Are you sure you should be goin’ anywhere with this guy? I mean, just look at him. He looks like a serial killer in the making.” Oh, the irony of that statement. But I bent down on one knee to give Dodger’s head a pat. 

“Thanatos is a relative of mine. Don’t worry; he’s just going to take me…… uh, to my father’s old home, and then bring me back……. We are coming back, right?” I asked Thanatos this over my shoulder. He let out a loud huff. “I was sent to deliver you to the Fates; not to deliver your soul without a body anywhere.” “Good…… I guess? See, Dodger? I’ll be fine. Just make sure not to tell anyone where I’ve gone.” They’d have a field day if they knew I took off with the god of death. After a reluctant moment, Dodger agreed. We hugged and I went over to Thanatos. 

For someone who delivers spirits to the underworld almost constantly, he had no idea how to handle me at first. It also became painfully obvious that he had no experience with girls either; well, living ones anyways. He very, very awkwardly lifted me up into his arms; princess-style like Goliath had the other night. I said goodbye to a worried Dodger and we were off. Thanatos didn’t cradle me as gently as Goliath made sure to do. He held me rather roughly in the beginning, but by the time we reached the gates of the underworld, I was growing used to it. 

Turns out that you can access the underworld from anywhere. It’s not so much a physical door but a portal you can cross through. Well, Thanatos and Daddy are the only ones who can go through it at will- anyone else has to be brought in by them. The underworld wasn’t a pleasant place by any stretch of the mind. From the moment we entered, the screams and moans of the deceased echoed through up to the ceiling. This initially scared me but Thanatos casted a spell on me so I couldn’t hear it. But I could still see the souls of the dead. 

The underworld was both what I expected and didn’t expect. It felt like entering a high-dome cave- there was no trace of sun. Instead of a rock bottom to the cave however, there was this seemingly endless pool made out of dead souls. Transparent, but there were enough features to tell them apart. Most of them looked like they were sleeping, but other were moaning and stirring. “Those souls died reluctantly,” Thanatos informed me without my having to ask. It then dawned on me that Daddy’s kingdom was by far bigger than any one a mortal has reigned over. Even Auradon…….. Absolutely nothing could come close to this. But that didn’t bring me any sense of pride. These souls weren’t subjects; they were eternal prisoners in my eyes. I didn’t like to look at them. 

Thanatos landed on a grey-rock ridge near the pool of souls. He set me down and looked forward. I followed his gaze and audibly gasped. Standing close by on a barge was a skeleton by the name of Charon. Another servant of Daddy’s, he was the ferryman for the River Styx; he’s also Thanatos’s brother. I trembled back a few steps as his bony hand stretched out for me. “This way,” his voice echoed when he talked too. I admit, despite knowing that he worked for Daddy, I was afraid of him. But Thanatos sent me an impatient look. Seeing his response to me, I shakily took Charon’s hand; the feeling of touching moving bones was indescribable. I felt sick, like I was going to throw up, but let him help me onto the raft. Thanatos joined us and Charon began paddling down river. 

For the first part of the journey, I couldn’t take my eyes off the gruelling souls. It was clear that they were suffering and didn’t want to be there. Thanatos was not impressed by my stunned and sympathetic reaction. His arms folded dismissively. “Ever since Hades’s has been gone, I’ve had to do all the work down here by myself,” he rolled his eyes. “I had no idea……. that my father’s kingdom was like this,” my eyes trailed off shaken. Thanatos didn’t say anything, just looked at me. 

We reached a part where two massive grey doors swung open; we didn’t have to do anything- they simply did at our arrival. Waiting on the other side of the door was the three-headed hellhound I’ve heard so much about. The monster barked and snarled immediately, as if we were intruding. I screamed, backing into Thanatos. I know he wasn’t the best source of comfort, but he was all I had at the moment. After a couple of seconds though, the dog relaxed its demeanour; it actually seemed excited to see me. 

“Go on,” Thanatos nudged me forward. Now acting very happy, a large, long tongue came down to lick me; it was followed by two more tongues. By the time they were done licking me, I was covered in dog saliva. I wiped my face off with a bit of disgust and smiled up at him. “Cerberus,” I cooed. He whimpered and laid on his belly in a display of affection. I managed to each of his heads a pat as Charon ferried us by. Once passed, an organic grin fell across my lips. “Heh, and here I thought he was going to rip me to shreds.” “Why would Cerberus do that? You are the princess of the underworld,” Thanatos retorted like it was the most natural thing to say. This made me blink back to him, surprised. Huh, I guess……. that’s true. I knew Daddy was king of the underworld, but I never considered myself as its “princess”. But…… I was. I didn’t know how to feel about that.


	13. Meeting The Fates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal meets the Fates.

The boat finally reached this weird upside-down castle. It definitely was a castle, but it was on the roof. To get to it, you had to climb a stone staircase. Charon stopped the vessel at the bottom of the staircase, and Thanatos came up beside me. “Up there. Go on up,” he instructed. “A-Are…… Are Pain and Panic in there?” I suddenly felt a tad anxious going in alone. He shook his head. “They took off when your dad was deposed.” “I see……..” My eyes scanned up the stairs nervously. Both gods quietly watched me ascend them with trepidation. The stone stairs felt super sturdy and distant under my feet. 

The castle was surprisingly hard to navigate. I had no idea where I was supposed to go or if the Fates were already here waiting for me. I wandered for a while, not enjoying this place at all. I was thankful to be raised on the Isle of the Lost and not down here. Princess or not, this place was disturbing and downright creepy. Human bones lined many of the walls; it was cold; and the lack of sunlight was getting to me. This realm made my old home look like a paradise. And I couldn’t wait to get out of here. 

Sooner rather than later, I finally found what appeared to be a battle-planning room. I could tell by this big, circular map of Greece and what I assumed to be Olympus on its surface. There were little figurines scattered all around it; I recognized one to be a titan, though I didn’t know which one. So this is where it all happened, I realized while picking up a figurine. This is where Daddy plotted to overthrow my relatives and destroy my cousin……… This was the beginning of the end for him. My fingers instinctively clenched the figure in agony. 

“Well, well, well, what have we here? Hades’s only offspring?” I dropped the figurine onto the ground as I instantly spun around. My eyes widened in sheer horror. Three very old, very ugly women slithered up behind me. One was tall and thin; one of medium stature; and one was short and stout. They wore all-black robes and their hair was……. moving on its own, if that makes any sense. What really alarmed me were their eye sockets, which were pitch black. They shared one eye between them, which they would put in their empty sockets to see. The tall one had it first, but the short one soon grabbed it. 

“The princess of darkness has come to see little, old us?” The medium one mocked me. These……. My mouth opened as I suddenly realized……. These are the Fates. The legendary, immortal, all-knowing Fates. I couldn’t do anything but babble. I’d wanted to see them all this time and yet, now that they’re actually here…….. They just laughed, amused by what they were currently seeing. 

“Less talkative than Hades, isn’t she?” The short one stuck her thumb out my way. They spoke to me in Greek, so I replied in turn. “I……. I……. T-Thank you for meeting me here!” Those were the first comprehensive words to come to mind. “Would you hurry it up? We don’t have all night, you know,” the tall one crossed her arms. I blinked. “U-Uh, right! Um….. I…… I won’t ask about the future, but I do have a question about the present. Two actually.” “We know,” she said back. “We know everything, and one answer will suffice for both your questions,” the medium told me. 

“In regard to your first question, your father and the rest of the adults have been kidnapped. They’re currently trapped inside a cauldron,” the tall one explained. “The Black Cauldron, to be exact,” the short one tacked on. “A cauldron?” My eyebrow rose up in disbelief; I wasn’t expecting that. “Yes. Their souls are trapped inside, and they won’t be able to escape without assistance.” “Which leads to your second question. The one in possession of the Black Cauldron is the Horned King: ruler of Prydain.” “The Horned King?! He’s the one who’s abducted all our parents?!” I gasped. They nodded. “He recently fought a great war over the kingdom of Prydain and won. He did so by acquiring the Black Cauldron.” “Now he wishes to build an empire and expand his army by using your parents.” “Good, bad adults- it makes no difference to him. With their souls trapped inside the cauldron, they’re all effectively his slaves.” I brought my hand up to cover my mouth; my head began to shake. No……. No, this isn’t happening; this isn’t real. 

“H-How……. How did he do this?” I can’t tell you how shaky my voice was. “Black magic; the likes you have never seen.” “How do I get them back?! How do I get them out of the cauldron?!” I was progressively louder this time. They didn’t seem phased by the alterations in my reactions at all. “In order to release them from the bondage of the Black Cauldron, you must find the Black Cauldron,” the tall one announced. “The Black Cauldron…….. It’s in Prydain with the Horned King, isn’t it?” “That’s right.” “W-Well, how do I get to Prydain? Where is it?!” 

“To get to the kingdom of Prydain, you must sail in the direction of the rising sun. It is a three-day journey from Auradon.” “Follow the rising sun? I’ll arrive at Prydain if I sail that way for three days?” I wanted to be sure I understood them correctly. They gave a collective nod. “Yes, but we strongly urge you reconsider.” “What?!” This certainly caught me by surprise. Why would they say something like that to me? After I came all this way to see them and find out where my father is. It just seemed……. outrageous in a way. But, of course, their expressions didn’t change one bit. 

“You foolish girl. We know you love Hades, but the love of a daughter is fleeting.” “What do you mean?! No, it’s not! I will always love me father!” My hand lifted up to my chest appalled. “Your life-line is so short. Hades is immortal, you forget; your existence is but a blink of an eye in his life. You will die soon enough, and he will go on without out.” “Ah, why are you bothering to explain it to her? She may be a demi-god but she’s still mortal and liable to die. She cannot possibly grasp the concept of eternity as we immortals do. Her insignificant paternal love is of the upmost importance to her- that is her mistake and ignorance,” the tall one chastised the medium one. “Leave the girl alone! If she wants to love her father, let her. It’s her life. Besides, we already know nothing we can say will stop her,” the short one waved her hand at the other two Fates. “But she does so blindly. She has eyes, but she cannot see,” the tall one countered back. “See what?” I spoke again, unsure and afraid as to what they meant. All their heads turned back my way. 

“How in peril your life is. You are unaware of the true danger that actually surrounds you,” the medium one enlightened me. My eyes widened. “Danger? What kind of danger? Is it the Horned King?” “Oh no, you don’t. We’re not supposed to reveal the future, especially to your kind.” I’m guessing she meant mortals by “my kind”. I contemplated for a moment, thinking of anything else I could ask. But they already knew that this was the end of our conversation. I flinched when the short one placed her three-fingered hand on my arm. She smiled up at me. “Take care of yourself, princess. Best of luck to ya.” “Hmph, you’ll need it,” the tall one sneered, planting her hands on her hips. Before I could make another sound, they uh……. well they hopped into their one eye which vanished into thin air. I was suddenly left in the room alone, gasping for air. 

In a sort of daze, I descended the staircase back to the barge where Thanatos and Charon were waiting for me. Charon rowed us back and Thanatos carried me back up to the surface world. Neither of us said a word the whole way; at least for me, there was a lot on my mind currently. Eventually we landed back on my balcony and Thanatos set me down on my feet. Once he knew I was stable, he reached behind him to pull out something. I watched as he revealed a glowing blue stone, which he held out for me to take. “Here, this is for you. Your father told me to give it to you when you were ready- whenever that would be.” 

“T-Thank you……. What is it?” I grabbed it, lifting it up for inspection. It felt both cool and warm to the touch- a delightful experience to be honest. “It’s Hades’s Ember. It’s a concentrated version of all his divine powers. You’re a demi-god, so it won’t work fully for you, but it’ll help somewhat.” My eyes grew as a thought came to mind. “Can this…….?!” “And no, it can’t bring your parents back. The Black Cauldron’s magic is too strong for the ember in the hands of a mortal.” “Oh…….. What can it do then?” My eyes rolled back to the stone curiously and a little disappointed. “For you, it can reverse minor spells casted by other mortals. That’s about it.” That’s it, huh? Well, it’s better than nothing, I guess. I put in away in my pocket and grinned at my frightening relative. 

“Thank you for everything, Thanatos. It was nice to finally meet you.” “Wish I could say the same. You’re not at all what I expected Hades’s daughter- the princess of the underworld- to be like,” he folded his arms. I thought he might say more and was a little taken aback when he didn’t. Still, I tried to be polite and smiled at him. “I like to think I inherited Daddy’s good qualities.” Thanatos scoffed. “What good qualities? Your dad was banished to the Isle of the Lost for a reason. Now I’m stuck doing the work of two gods for all eternity. I had hoped that one day Zeus would give you some ambrosia and you would become queen of the underworld. But that’s clearly not going to happen.” My grin began to fade. “Me? Queen of the underworld?” I hadn’t even wrapped my head around being its princess yet. And wait a minute! Ambrosia? But that would make me an immortal goddess……… 

“I……. I never realized what Daddy’s exile meant for you, Thanatos. I wish there was a way I could help you.” “That’s not possible. So long as you’re a demi-god, you can’t stay in the underworld long-term. No, me and Charon will just continue being slaves forever; it’s not like your dad can help us now.” “Thanatos……..” My eyes lowered empathically. I spun around to take a few steps into my room and peered downwards for a second. Then my feet shifted back again and I was about to say some encouraging words, but to my shock, Thanatos was already gone. I suppose the god of death had a very busy schedule as it was. Still……. My fingers rolled over top the ember in pocket. Both Thanatos and Charon are my relatives, and Daddy’s absence hurt them more than Daddy himself, I think. 

I didn’t have time to dwell on that, though. I knew where the adults were! I knew what happened to them and where to find them! All fear or dread of the Horned King was absent to me at the moment. The prospect of getting Daddy back overshadowed everything else. Without wasting anymore time, I made a mad dash out of my bedroom and down the hallway. I had to tell them the news, and of my departure very soon. The trip to Prydain would take three full days; I was more than alright with that! And the sooner I left, the better. 

The doors of the kitchen burst open where some of my friends were hanging out. Ben was there, along with Evie, Audrey, Jane, and Doug. All heads darted my way as I stood there under the door’s threshold, clenching it with my hands and heaving heavily. They were immediately alarmed. 

“Mal, are you alright?” Ben rushed over to my side worried. “I-I know…… I know where our parents are!” I managed to get out in between gasps. “You do?!” Evie gasped, also coming to my other side. “They’re on…… they’re on an island called Prydain! It’s king, the Horned King, abducted all of them. He’s holding them captive in his kingdom.” Everyone looked at each other in absolute shock. I can understand how out-of-nowhere this must have sounded. Still, my expression remained adamant, giving them confidence in me. Well, almost all of them……. 

“The Horned King? I’ve never heard of him or Prydain,” Audrey crossed her arms untrustingly. “Me either,” Doug scratched the side of his head, looking more confused than suspicious. “Are you sure, Mal? How did you learn all this?” Ben’s hand raised to rest on my back; not that I noticed. “The Fates told me. They just told me tonight,” I replied. “The Fates?!” Evie repeated bewildered. “Who are the Fates?” Jane asked no one in particular. “They’re goddesses who weave and cut people’s threads of life. They know everything! And although they couldn’t tell me the future, they told me what happened to Daddy. They told me about Prydain and how to get there.” 

My friends gave one another glances again. “And you trust these so-called “Fates”?” Audrey used a tone. I immediately shot her an incredulous stare. “What do you mean?! They’re goddesses! Omniscience goddesses! If I’m going to trust anyone, it’s going to be them,” I exhaled like this was the most obvious thing. Audrey blinked stunned, then quickly regained her composure. She huffed and tossed her hair to the side. “Well, I’ve never seen any gods before.” “Of course you haven’t! You want to burn to a crisp? I’m a demi-god, so they can reveal their true forms to me without me dying. But for regular humans……. You wanna end up like Semele? You literally cannot see the gods in their divine glory,” I emphasised my last sentence. 

A moment of silence preceded this. Finally Evie’s lips parted. “You really spoke to the Fates tonight?” “Yes,” I nodded with finality. “So, this Horned King……? He took all the adults…….. Why? What did he do with them?” “It’s a long story. But we don’t have a lot of time. If we sail tomorrow, we can be in Prydain in three days. We have to sail in the direction of the rising sun; the Argo can take us.” 

No one replied right away, until Doug slapped his hands on his forelegs. “Well! I guess we’re going to Prydain. I still don’t know why I’ve never heard anything about it before. Very strange……..” “Well, I for one, think that this whole thing is insane. You expect us to go with you on some rickety boat to a kingdom none of us have ever heard of, because some goddesses allegedly told you about it? What do you take us for? Fools?” Audrey spat, not bothering to conceal any venom in her tone. I was beginning to lose my patience with her. “Look, I don’t care if you believe me or not. The Fates told me; all that matters to me is that I know where Daddy is. I said from the start that I’m willing to go alone, and I still am. No one has to come with me! I just want my father back, and I’m going to get him. I actually prefer to go alone- it sounds like it’s going to be dangerous.” “Dangerous? Dangerous how?” Jane gulped. “Don’t worry, Jane. I don’t mind going alone. I want to keep the risk at a minimal,” I comforted her. But Ben’s face, on the other hand……. 

“Mal, we’ve been over this. You are not to leave the island without me……. er, us.” I looked at him a bit startled. Yes, Ben; I remembered that conversation, but my moral compass pointed to something different. Evie was quick to step in. “It’s ok; we’re all going to go with her. That was the plan anyway.” “All of us?” Audrey’s eyebrow raised. “Evie…….” I began until interrupted by a frantic-looking Jay. He ran up to the door, breathing heavily and sweating. “Guys, we got company!” His voice panted. Company? We went over to the window to check. Far away, on the horizon was a pirate ship with black sails. The skull and crossbones flag flayed from the top of the mast. “What the……?” Ben uttered. My jaw dropped as my eyes suddenly lit up. Could it be……? 

With that thought- or should I say hope- I darted around without warning and took off out of the room like a shot.


	14. Sweet Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uma's crew arrives at Auradon. Harry and Mal have a sweet reunion.

I kept running and running, not really thinking of anything else. I knew that ship- it was one of Uma’s. At the moment, I couldn’t fathom how she managed to get passed the barrier on a vessel made by “evil hands”. But I didn’t really care currently either. I just went on sprinting, desperate to get there first; the others wouldn’t be far behind me, so I didn’t have much time. 

The boat had almost reached the beach by the time I arrived at the cliff overseeing the coast; the same one Ben first saw me on. Knowing I had to be sneaky, I quickly got out of sight from the front of ship, going to its left side. There wasn’t a sandy beach up against that part of the vessel; more like a low, shallow inlet where the water ended at a patch of green grass. That’s where I dashed to- out of view to the majority of the crew onboard. But I only needed to see one person, and I wasn’t disappointed. 

Moments after I got to the grass edge, I could hear several voices high above me. They were shouting at one another to “pull this” and “turn that”; lots of navel babble. I didn’t have to wait long, however. While I was watching with intent eyes, Harry’s figure soon appeared on the side of the dock closest to me. He looked down, our eyes locked, and we both whispered to ourselves. “Harry……” I’m pretty sure he said my name too. 

I was half-expecting and half-not expecting Harry to actually volt over the boat’s banister. My eyes grew as he jumped- literally jumped- two stories down into the sea water. It was so sudden; he did so without even thinking first. The water wasn’t too deep, coming up to his waist once he stood up straight. After giving his wet hair a toss, his eyes went right back to me. Harry…….. My lips parted ever so slightly. My feet began to take on a life of their own. He’s here; he’s really here……. I have to go to him. 

My body became animated completely without conscious will. Without even realizing what I was doing, I hopped down into the water, which came just above my ankles. As if reading each other’s minds, we made our way through the sea with open arms. Meeting a little less than halfway on his end, Harry and I finally reached each other. Without a single word, our arms flung around the other as we tightly, organically embraced. I think we remembered to breathe at the same time, each opening our mouths as we stayed like that. Oh my god, Harry’s right here; he’s in my arms once again. Harry’s arms wrapped around me so tight, pressing me as close as he could against him. I could hear him breathing so loudly, gratefully……. “Mal, Mal, Mal……..” He continued to repeat my name over and over in a gasping whisper. I had to shut my eyes, I thought I might cry. Harry…….. Oh god, I wanted to see you, Harry. You have no idea how much I’ve longed to see you……. To hear you sigh, safe here in my arms. 

After a long moment of perfection, our bliss was abruptly interrupted. Though I couldn’t make out exactly the sounds surrounding us, we both knew that we were out of time. Without warning, Harry scooped me up into his arms- yet again princess-style- and carried me through the water to the grassy edge. He set me down onto my feet once there, not taking his hands off me until he was sure I was steady. I looked at him frantically. 

“The others will be here soon,” I gasped. He nodded. “I know, so will Uma’s crew.” “I’ve got to go talk to them. I’ve got to keep this from turning bad,” I told Harry. He was hesitant, holding onto my wrist with his hook. “But we just found each other; I found you. I don’t want you to leave me again, Mal.” “I know, Harry. But you need to keep Uma and her crew in check while I do the same with everyone here. It may end badly if we don’t intervene.” “Who cares about that? If they wanna fight, let ‘em. I got what I came here for, and there’s no way I’m going to lose you again.” He brushed a few wet stray hairs off my cheek before smiling to himself; his thumb remained to caress the side of my face adoringly. “Lose you……. No, I have a good mind never to let you out of my sight again.” “Harry…….” My hand reached up to press overtop his equally as affectionate. 

This little piece of heaven was viciously interrupted a second time. The panicked and angry voices were getting closer. I looked behind me and realized that the other VKs and good kids would be here any second. Breathing heavily, I made my head turn back to Harry with determined agony. In truth, I’d be more than happy never leaving his sight again- that sounded perfect to me. But alas, my moral compass had to veer its head. My lips let out the longest sigh.

“I’m sorry, Harry, but we can’t let a fight break out. The good kids have magic at their disposal, and knowing Uma, she likely has her swords and cannons. No, we have to keep any misunderstanding at bay. Only you and I can do that.” “Just for once, can you not do the right thing? Can you be bad for once in your life?” He sighed, rolling his eyes halfway. This made me grin- he’s so cute. “You know I can’t.” “I know…….. That’s what makes you so goddamn precious,” Harry’s forehead leaned in rest against mine. 

We stayed that way for much too short, then I turned to leave, only to be stopped by Harry’s hook once more. I paused to peer back at him over my shoulder. His eyes were frightened now, almost as begging me to reconsider. “Mal…….” Oh, Harry. He never finished that specific sentence, but I always knew; I already knew how it would end. “Don’t worry. I’ll see you soon, Harry,” after giving his hook a squeeze with my free hand, he released me. We took off in different directions as fast as we could go. 

Just as anticipated, Ben and everyone else had reached the beach facing the front of the ship by the time I got there. “Mal!” Ben, Evie, Jay, and Jane all raced over to me. Ben got to me first. “Are you alright?!” He anxiously glanced me over; I was surprised when he removed his coat, placing it around me and over my shoulders. The prince then continued to hold both my arms securely. “Why are you all wet?” Evie also sounded startled. “I……. I uh……..” “Mal, Evie, look,” Jay took a few steps forward, pointing to Uma’s ship. It had docked fully by now; you could hear the whole crew laughing and shouting on deck. I frowned as Uma came to the very front of the boat, looking quite smugly down at all of us. And yes, she was wearing her sword at her side. 

We joined where the others were standing so to watch the ship’s plank drop. Of course Uma was the first to waltz off, followed by a few notable other VKs. Gil was there, obviously; who wasn’t so obvious was Dizzy Tremaine and Freddie Facilier. Huh, I never pictured them as pirates before, but if it’ll get you off the island…… I instantly noted that Harry was nowhere to be seen yet. He must have gotten back on the ship and still be inside somewhere. This left Gil as Uma’s only righthand man at the moment. 

“Hidi ho,” Uma couldn’t have grinned wider; I couldn’t help but notice her eyes were on me specifically. “Uma,” I spat. “Looks like you didn’t bring the adults back, Mally Goodshoes,” her arms folded arrogantly. “Told you she couldn’t do it. I’m honestly surprised you’re all still in one piece,” Gil said matching Uma’s sour tone. “How’d you even get off the island?!” Evie sputtered. “That gigantic hole you left behind, duh. What? You forget about that gaping break in the barrier you made? You think we wouldn’t learn about that?” Uma fired back. Evie, Jay, Carlos, and my face drained all its colour. Oh, yeah……. We did make that massive hole when the Argo went through the barrier, didn’t we? Oops. Forgot all about that. 

“Who are you? Why are you here?” Ben finally spoke up- still keeping his hands on me for some reason. Uma shot him a nasty look. “Why? We’re here because your asshole parents imprisoned ours on some shitty island. And clearly you believe that the sins of the parents should be visited on the children, since none of us ever had the chance to leave. We’re here because if we didn’t escape, we’d have no future otherwise. That’s why, you moron.” Ben and the other good kids were stunned by this declaration, while me and my VK friends merely glanced at each other. We knew that Uma was right, in her own sick, twisted way. And it looks like the good kids never stopped to consider what their parents’ actions might have meant for us back on the Isle of the Lost. 

Still, thanks to my cousin Athena, I am a strong believer in using reason to handle a confrontation. I wiggled out of Ben’s grip and took a few steps towards the vessel. “Uma, all the grown-ups are gone. All of them……..” Her eyes grew a tad in surprise. “Wait…… so you mean all the adults from Auradon have disappeared too?” “Auradon, Wonderland, Neverland- everywhere. Well, almost everywhere. But I know how to get our parents back.” Now she wore a look of utter disgust. “You’re telling me that all the adults have up and vanished, leaving us with free reign over the world, and you still want to bring them back?” This earned a frown- looks like she still didn’t care that her mother disappeared without a trace. “Yes, Uma; that’s actually what I’m saying.” We glared at each other a long moment before Gil popped in. 

“Uh, Uma?” “What?!” “Erm, what should I tell the crew to do next?” “What?” “It’s just that……. well we didn’t really plan for this…… All the adults everywhere being gone, I mean,” poor Gil flinched. While she yelled at him for being an idiot, the rest of my friends came to be where I was standing. Ben pulled down on the bottom of his shirt, puffing his chest out a tad. “I’ll handle this, Mal,” he said with an air of confidence. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he actually liked the idea of confronting these pirates. My eyes widened and Evie’s jaw dropped open, but no one said anything. Ben cleared his throat and stepped forward, apart from the group. 

“Excuse me, Miss Uma?” Oh my god, Evie and I gave each other that “look”. Uma’s head spun in his direction; her expression was totally unimpressed. “I can appreciate the difficult circumstances that you’re coming from,” Ben began. Uma’s eyes couldn’t have rolled harder. Even I cringed inwardly, waiting for him to continue. That didn’t take long, as shown by his hands extending out at his sides. “But, considering the current situation, I think it would be best if you………” 

“What is he garbling about? Who even is he?” Uma turned to her crew members. “He’s wearing a crown. I think he’s a prince?” Dizzy scratched the side of her head ponderingly. “Oh, who cares who he is. Auradon is ours for the taking!” Freddie announced. The rest of Uma’s crew seemed to like this idea. Meanwhile the good kids looked horrified. 

“They can’t stay here!” Audrey shouted at Ben. “She’s right. They’re ruin everything,” Charles added. “What are we going to do, Mal? We were going to sail to Prydain tomorrow,” Evie asked me. There was a clear divide between who thought I was in charge, and who thought Ben was. “They’re just gonna have go back to the Isle of the Lost!” Doug stated. “Yeah? And how are you gonna make them do that?” Carlos gave him an unconvinced glance. “Would magic work?” Lonnie shrugged. “Oh, this is getting ridiculous,” I rolled my eyes. With time of the essence, I approached Ben impatiently. 

“Ben, just let them stay.” “What?!” His head darted over at me. “We’re leaving anyway; if they destroy Auradon, so what? We’ve got bigger concerns now.” “But, Mal…….” “Why can’t they just stay here? We don’t have any time to waste. Just let them stay.” “Yeah, just let us stay, Ben,” Uma repeated in a mocking tone. “Stop it, Uma,” I shot her a glare. “Oh, no; no. You think you have the right to tell me to do anything, you little prude? We’re free now; I’ve already been bossed around for more than a lifetime by my mom. And you’re going to bring that bitch back.” “At least one of us cares enough to,” I retorted bitterly. Uma knew just the right way to get under my skin. Yet despite this, Uma didn’t like me talking back to her- not at all. 

“You better shut that mug of yours. There’s a new captain in town, so you better get the hell out,” Uma took a few steps my way. Ben went into protective mode…… again, for some reason. “Now, now, girls. There’s no reason to fight; we can work this out,” he held up his hands at us. That was a bit patronizing- he was our age and we didn’t appreciate being talked to like that. “This your new man, Mal? Do us all a favour and tell him to watch his mouth. He’s treating us like little girls.” “No, I’m not. I’m just trying to keep a rational head while we discuss……..” 

“Mal!” We all peered up at the sound of a familiar voice. An instant smile lit up my face. Harry came out from a lower floor, showing himself with an anxious face. All worry immediately melted away when he spotted me, visibly breathing easier. “Harry!” My eyes lit up, which Ben instantly noticed. The way he treated Harry was totally different than Uma; I’m guessing it’s because Uma was a girl and Harry was a six’ three-foot Adonis of a man. Uma also scoffed, but not for the same reason as Ben. “What took you so damn long?” She chastised Harry while he marched over to us. 

Sensing there was something between me and Harry, Ben positioned himself in between us, blocking Harry’s path to me. “And you are……?” His tone was a lot less kind now. Harry ignored Ben’s bravado entirely- it was actually kind of amusing to watch. “Outta my way. Did you talk to Uma yet, Mal?” Harry asked me over Ben’s shoulder. Scandalized, Ben didn’t move an inch; his eyes growing in shock and anger. Uma wasn’t impressed by this little show either. Her hands planted on her slanted hips. 

“Oh, we’ve talked. There’s no adults here either, Harry,” she said. “There aren’t?” Harry blinked back to her in disbelief. “I’m assuming you’re the captain of this ship?” Ben asked in a very grated tone. Harry’s head shot back at him and Uma’s face reddened incensed. “No! I’m the captain! You miss the hat, you blind moron? Or is it because he’s a guy he must be the captain? Is that it?” “That’s not it at all!” Ben retorted defensively. Uma looked at me for the first time with something other than sheer contempt. We both knew that was it- painfully so. Harry was growing impatient, however…….. 

“I don’t have time for this,” Ben’s eyes widened in horror as Harry’s hook extended out around his form for me. Before Harry could grab me though, Ben made the mistake of nudging me back a step. Harry looked like he was about to destroy Ben in those few seconds afterward. Ben didn’t appear too happy with Harry’s actions either. “Mal’s not part of your crew; leave her out of this.” “What did you say?” Harry growled dangerously. “If you and the rest of your crew insist on pillaging Auradon, alright. But my friends and I are going to get our parents back. You can answer to them when they return.” “Ben……” Inwardly sighing, I tugged on the back of his shirt hoping he’d stop. Before Harry could reply, the others came to join us. “Mal! Ben!” They cried. Of course, this didn’t draw Harry or Ben’s glares off each other. 

“Oh, hi Harry,” Jay greeted him before comprehending the tense scenario currently at hand. Harry didn’t reply. “Have you worked it out with them? Are they coming with us to Prydain?” Jane inquired somewhat absent-mindedly. I groaned silently. “Prydain? Where’s that?” Uma’s eyebrow raised. “You’re leaving again?!” Gil sounded half-surprised, half-excited. “Yes. As a matter of fact, we are. And we don’t have any room aboard the Argo for pirates,” Ben spat with a whole lot of venom. Oh, Ben; cue the internal wincing once again. Why did he insist on making it worse for himself? To my surprise, Harry didn’t blow up on him immediately following this. 

“Fine. Then we’ll take our ship. Come on, Mal,” Harry tried to reach me one more time. When I went to grab his hook, Ben stopped me. He couldn’t have shot Harry a more insidious glare. “She’s staying with us. The Argo is Mal’s uncle’s ship and besides, it’s not like you were in a big hurry to go with her last time.” Oh, he shouldn’t have said that. He should not have said that. I can’t even describe the rage in Harry’s eyes just then. Even the other VKs looked worried while awaiting Harry’s reaction. 

It took a few seconds for Harry to verbally respond. And when he did, it was aggressive. “You think that cause you’re some sort of royalty that gives you any right to tell her what to do?” “I’m not telling Mal what to do. But we’ve already agreed to go together, and I plan to see this through…… alongside her.” Oh boy…….. just……… oh boy. I’ll give Uma credit here. Even though she’s obviously has a thing for Harry, she saw when to intervene. I’m pretty sure Harry was about to deck Ben square in the face before she stepped it. 

“Harry, let’s just get back on the ship and figure something out.” “Or you could just leave?” Charles shrugged- I don’t think he was taking this seriously enough. Seeing where Uma was going with this though, I immediately followed suit. “I agree with Uma. Look, now that they’re here, we should at least try include them in on our plan,” I tried to reason with Ben. “Why?” He fired back like I was the one being the irrational one here. “Because they’re VKs too, and they might be able to help us. Like let’s be real: we have no idea what we’re doing yet either,” Evie joined my side; she was growing tired of Ben’s nonsense as well. Audrey gave a loud “hmph”, crossing her arms. 

“Help us…… What help could they possibly offer? They chose to stay on the Isle of the Lost when you left, remember? They clearly don’t want to find the adults.” “Audrey’s kinda got a point. Besides, how do you know we can trust them? What if they want to sabotage our mission?” Doug tacked on. “Because I know they don’t,” I simply replied. “How?” His eyebrow raised at me. And my eyes wandered back over to Harry’s beautiful face. “I know……..” 

Jay was the first VK to catch onto Harry and me; I think the others, especially Uma, had an idea but Jay was the first one to figure it out. This prompted him to defend my statement, both physically and verbally. He came over to finally position himself in between me and Ben. I had no clue why Ben had been standing so close to me all this time, but Jay and I knew that Harry didn’t like it. Jay let out a sigh once in place, running his hand alongside his head. 

“Ok, look. How about this? Uma and Harry regroup with their crew and we do the same. Then we meet in the library to go over everything. Then maybe we can think of a plan together,” Jay offered sensibly. “I still don’t see why we have to include them at all. We can sail to Prydain perfectly well enough without them,” Ben retort. Jay and I looked at each other, then he looked at Harry. And then Jay watched as Harry’s and my eyes met; I swear, every time I looked at him, it was like going on a mini vacation. Watching the two of us, Jay shook his head. “Yeah, so not gonna happen now,” his hands rested on his hips as his face fell downwards. 

“Jay’s got a good idea- let’s do that,” I concluded. Uma’s crew hesitated for a minute. Gil peered over to Uma from the corner of his eye. “What do you think, cap’?” Uma considered briefly, drifting her eyes back and forth along the ground. Eventually she gazed back up to me, cocking her head ever so slightly. “Fine. Let’s hear what their stupid plan is.” “You serious?” Dizzy blinked to her surprised. It was Ben who took the longest to be persuaded, but finally he even relented. “Alright then. Meet us in the castle library in an hour, provided you can find it,” he muttered. Then he darted around to start back to the academy. “Come on, guys; we’re going home,” he directed the good kids and us four VKs. We all gazed at one another before they started to follow him. I’m the only one who didn’t move, turning my heels so to face Harry. As expected, he hadn’t started going back to Uma’s boat yet either. We instantly smiled at each other- true, profound grins. 

“Don’t worry, Mal. I’ll straighten out everything with Uma. It’ll be ok.” “I know it will be, Harry. You’re here, after all……. This is the first time everything’s felt alright since I left the island.” “I know the feeling,” his grin expanded in its corners. My expression mirrored his. “I missed you, Harry…….” “Yeah, me too. I’m sorry I didn’t come with you when you went, Mal. But this whole thing has shown me something. I took your presence, even the sound of your voice for granted- it just seemed so natural that you’d always be there. We could have different friend groups because I knew you’d always be around, on the island with me. But I’ve realized……. I can deal with a lot of crap…… I can deal with anything in the world, except your absence.” “Harry!” My heart leapt up into my chest. I didn’t think it was possible to be this happy in a time like this. We were about to run into each other’s arms yet again before…… 

“Harry, what are you doing?! Hurry it up, would ya?!” That was Uma; that wasn’t too bad. But Ben stomping back over to me upset……. That was bad. “Mal, come on; everyone’s waiting.” I flinched at the sudden sensation of Ben snatching my hand in his. He began to tug me with him. Big mistake. Harry’s face couldn’t have darkened faster. He started to march in our direction. “You have three seconds to get your hand off her before I……..” 

Harry paused as I pulled my hand away from Ben. The prince blinked in surprise at me, but my face remained adamant. “I’m coming, Ben,” I said with a hint of annoyance. Why did people keep insisting on interrupting Harry and me? And when we were just about to hug too…… Man! Talk about bad timing. Still, I know Ben’s my friend and he’s only looking out for me; he doesn’t know that Harry and I are……. I didn’t dare finish that thought, lest I burst out in a blushing frenzy. Instead I gave Harry one last passionate glance. 

“Go. I’ll see you in the castle,” I told him kindly. Harry hesitated; his hook raised out my way. “Mal…….” That sentence; that perfect, incomplete sentence. My eyes lowered onto him. “Harry…….” With that, we tore our stares apart, going in separate directions. I noticed Ben get behind me, protectively peering over his shoulder every few steps. “I know you’re from the Isle of the Lost, Mal, but even you can’t trust pirates.” “We don’t have the luxury of having enemies right now, Ben,” I sighed. “Even so. I don’t trust them, particularly the tall one.” “Harry?” My eyebrow rose up. Why would Ben have an issue with Harry? Was I missing something here? But, after making sure we were out of eye view from anyone, Ben grinned back to me. He paused momentarily to stare down at me; his eyes lowered gently. 

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Mal. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you.” “O-Oh, that’s ok! You don’t need to do that,” my hand waved dismissively. He didn’t have to watch out for me, now that Harry was here…… But Ben remained adamant. I flinched yet again as his hand reached to take hold of mine; his fingers wrapped my palm possessively. “You are so good, wanting to include those who have ignored you in the past. Of course I’m protective of you. You’re not one in a million; no, not even close. You’re so special…….. Not one in a million; more like once in a lifetime.”


	15. Tense Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone meets up in the castle library.

Uma’s crew finally arrived at the castle’s library- two hours later. Dodger was laying on my lap while we waited around the round table. All our heads perked up and Ben frowned as the other VKs barged in with such a commotion. “Alright, we’re here,” Uma announced. “One hour late,” Doug muttered under his breath. “Thanks for coming. Please take a seat,” I directed Uma’s crew. She gave me an eyeroll but did as was told. Gil and the others followed her example, with harry being the last. We flashed each other a glorious smile before he took the chair at Uma’s right side. I think he planned it intentionally that way, since we were across the table from each other. Dodger yawned and peered his head up as we kept grinning at one another. “What’s goin’ on?” He asked groggily. I responded with a scratch behind his ear. 

Uma leaned back in her seat, folding her arms out in front of her. She had this deeply smug look on her face. “So, you know where our parents are, do ya?” “That’s right,” I nodded. “Ok. Where are they?” She fired back. “In a kingdom called Prydain. It’s ruled over by someone called the Horned King.” “Prydain? The Horned King? I’ve never heard of either of them,” her eyebrow rose suspiciously. “Yeah. Now that you mention it, I’ve never heard of them either,” Gil scratched the side of his head. “Who told you the adults are there?” Uma inquired with a mild tone. My mouth opened to answer but Audrey butted in first. 

“She heard them from these things called the Fates. Cause you know, it’s possible for them to be all-knowing and all-seeing,” Audrey’s eyes rolled so hard. I could only look at her incredulously. “The Fates? Who’re they? More of your weirdo Greek relatives?” Uma spat. “Yes…… y-yes, they are. They’re the goddess who weave and cut the threads of life,” I uttered, still almost too gobsmacked to speak. I mean…… They do know that the gods can hear them, right? Trust me when I say that you don’t want to piss the Fates off. Audrey and Uma weren’t convinced- or impressed- though. “Oh please. That’s probably just a metaphor,” Audrey had the lack of wisdom to scoff. Yeeeeeeah, she likely just shortened her own thread by a good couple of years. But then, the Fates would already know how mind-bogglingly stupid she is. 

“Let me see if I got this straight: these “Fates” told you that all the adults are in Prydain right now?” Uma waggled her long finger at me. I frowned but still nodded affirmingly. “And the Horned King is well……. the king of Prydain?” Gil took a jab at joining the conversation. Once again, my head gave a nod. Gil turned to look at Uma, who looked at Harry. He was the only one of her crew who wasn’t acting like this was totally crazy. A pregnant pause fell over the room, which was soon broken by Uma’s condescending voice. 

“Uh, girl; what are they doing in Prydain? They didn’t just get up and sail there one night.” “Hey, yeah,” Charles perked up like this was sound logic he hadn’t thought of yet. “I don’t know how they got there, but they’re prisoners of the Horned King. He’s the reason why they’re in Prydain.” Everyone glanced at each other, considering what I’d just said. Surprisingly, it was Ben to speak next. “Uh, why……. would he imprison our parents?” “Is he using them as slaves to build his kingdom or something?” Lonnie added. “Not at the moment. He’s currently keeping all of them in a cauldron- the Black Cauldron, to be precise.” 

Ok……. this was as well-received as you can imagine. Even Evie, Carlos, and Jay looked horrified. No one said a word for a long moment; we just sat there in this tense, incredibly awkward silence. It was painfully clear that none of them believed me, or at least thought I was going off the deep end. I don’t blame them; it sounded crazy even to me. But regardless of bizarre it might be, I know it was entirely true because the Fates told me. And the Fates were known for never lying- they had no use for lies. Still, I braced myself for the inquisition I knew was coming. 

Jane was the one to break the silence. She blinked but continued to stare out into nowhere, not looking straight at me once. “A-A cauldron?” “Our parents are in a literal cauldron right now?” Carlos’s eyes were huge. Uma peered up at me with a dumbfounded expression. “You’re crazy…… You’re absolutely insane.” “No, I’m not. Look, I’m just telling you what the Fates told me,” I defended myself. “And you believe them?!” Uma’s voice was louder and sharper now. Harry’s gaze drifted to her from the corner of his eye; I could tell he was readying himself to intervene should she go any further. But it was Audrey to verbally attack me next. 

“Of course she does! I’m not surprised! You shoulda heard her the other day. Get this- she actually believes in the coachman.” “The coachman? Not that old wives’ tale again!” Uma groaned. “See?! She’s stupid enough to believe a talking puppet. It’s no wonder she’s taking the word of some low-ranking goddesses.” “Audrey!” That was beyond stupid to say; there’s no words in the English language to accurately convey how stupid that was. Has she never heard of Arachne or Tantalus before? My Greek relatives clearly have a lot of time to cook up suitably horrific punishments for disrespecting the gods. 

“She’s not stupid, Audrey! She trusts her relatives. Why shouldn’t she?” Evie jumped to my immediate defence. “Which sounds more likely to be true? The Fates lying to Mal, or our parents really being trapped inside a gigantic cauldron right now?” Audrey retorted. I let out a sigh, realizing where this was going to go if she was allowed to continue bashing the gods. Not gonna end pretty. So, I shut my eyes and got ready to make my mini speech. But before I did, I took one last look at Harry. Harry……… The Adonis sitting so near me in the same room. 

“I don’t care if you believe me or not. The Fates were gracious enough to tell me where our parents are; that’s good enough for me. I’m going to save them- I’m going to do what I set out to do. And…….” I hesitated for a moment, all words coagulating in the back of my throat again. All present waited anxiously for me to go on. Seconds later, my lips parted again. “And I think it would be best if I went alone.” “No!” Harry and Ben yelled back in unison, causing me to blink. “But I was going to say that if we go as a group, it should be as few of us as possible,” I went on. “Why?” Uma’s eyebrow raised up my way. I looked right at her, locking our eyes. “Because this is going to be dangerous, and I don’t want anyone to unnecessarily get hurt,” my reply was very, very honest; which caught her a bit off guard, I think. 

While Uma’s gaze wandered back into space, Charles’s head darted to me. “Dangerous? What do you mean “dangerous”? Dangerous how?” His tone was peppered with worry. “I…… can’t say exactly, but the Horned King is apparently a very dangerous foe. He recently won a war and took over all Prydain; plus he abducted every adult with ease.” “And you want to fight that son of a bitch?” Uma accused me. “I never said that. We’re not going to fight him; I never even considered that. No, what I plan to do is get the Black Cauldron and help our parents escape from it…….. somehow. If we do it right, we never have to meet the Horned King.” “Oh, really? And where do you think he keeps this “Black Cauldron”? Cause my guess is that if it does have our parents, as you say, he’s not going to keep it just anywhere,” Charles remarked. “He’s right. It’s probably in the Horned King’s castle,” Lonnie rubbed her bottom lip ponderingly. I shrugged. “Then I’ll sneak in and grab it.” “No, you won’t,” Harry retorted, and I gazed back at him. I knew what he meant by that- he’d rather risk his own life than me risk mine…….. Harry, my eyes lowered onto him. 

Another lull inserted itself into the conversation. Uma leaned back in her chair again, keeping her arms crossed. Everyone was obviously thinking very hard about this. Eventually however, Uma peered back up to me. Her eyes were softer now. “You’re really going to do this, Mal? You’re going to sail to Prydain, try and find this cauldron, and save our parents?” “Yes,” I didn’t even have to think about it. And I think Uma already knew too……. Her expression said so. Gil turned to Evie, Jay, and Carlos all sitting on my end of the table. “Are you guys going too?” After peaking at one another, they collectively nodded. “Yeah. I mean we wanted to help Mal out, after all,” Jay shrugged. A long silence presided this. 

We parted coming to no resolution. To my shock, Uma didn’t automatically announce that she was going to stay and loot Auradon. She didn’t even suggest that she’d be returning to the island. I never expected or wanted her to join us- I didn’t see a point in her risking her life like that. But at this point, I had no idea what she wanted to do. We said good night and went our separate ways to our rooms. I was climbing the staircase, sighing to myself. Well, regardless of what she and her crew do, I’ll be leaving tomorrow……. My eyes glanced up at just the right time; Harry appeared from around the bend. I paused for a second as my gaze lowered onto him. But I know I won’t be alone when I go…….. 

Harry smiled down at me, bending his arm so to rest his elbow on the wall and hold the side of his head. “You’re not sleeping with the other girls in the girls’ dormitory?” “It would seem not. I was given a different room.” Still smiling, Harry extended his hook down for me. I gladly took it, letting him guide me up the rest of the staircase. We reached the outside of my door, which I went to open but was stopped by Harry’s hand pressing against the wood; he was standing behind me with his arm extending passed me. I peered over my shoulder to see him staring down at me with low, sincere eyes. 

“Do you remember back when we were little? Back when we first met?” “I do…… Heh, you thought I was so annoying. I was convinced that you hated me,” I chuckled softly. “Yeah, well, turns out I was a colossal idiot.” “So much has happened since then…… We’re so much older now.” “Is that such a bad thing?” Harry asked me gently. My eyes lowered a sliver. “I wonder…… if our parents will still have the same objections when they return? Your father……..” I wasn’t able to finish my statement; it was too painful. Harry didn’t reply right away. Neither of us dared speak for a moment……… Finally, Harry drew a long breath in. 

“We’re not the kids we once were. I know my dad will still have a problem with it, and I’ve already made a commit to Uma’s crew. But……..” “Harry……..” “But I don’t care; I couldn’t give a damn about any of that anymore. Is it so wrong for me to think about what I want for a change? Everything I’ve ever done has been for other people- it’s my turn now.” “Harry.” “It’s our turn now,” he said with such kindness and affection. His hand removed from the wood of the door as he wrapped both arms around me from behind again; this was the exact same position he hugged me before I left the Isle of the Lost. I felt Harry bury his face into the back of my hair as he held me so loving and steady. As for me, I was on the verge of crying once more. Seriously, being here in his arms like this was my upmost favourite place to be in the world. 

My eyes shut, allowing me to properly soak in the glorious experience. “Just so you know, I never blamed you, Harry. I know why you turned to Uma and joined her crew after our parents separated us. You were as lost as I was………” Harry’s arms tightened ever so tenderly around me. “Mal……….” “Harry.” And he breathed……… He breathed like he was taking a long-awaited breath of fresh air. I could feel his lips part behind me. “Seriously, don’t leave my side again.”


	16. Preparing to Disembark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone prepares for the journey to Prydain.

I was brushing my hair in my room at the vanity table. Dodger was already laying on my bed watching me. He yawned and perked his head up. “So, you and Harry, huh?” I giggled, still focusing on the strokes going through my hair. “You noticed that, did you?” “Well, it’s kinda hard to miss. You two are obviously crazy about each other and don’t try too hard to hide it.” “We didn’t always have the luxury of being publicly affectionate; our parents- particularly Harry’s father- weren’t too keen on the idea of us together.” “And you want to bring those same adults back?” “Maybe it’ll be different now. Harry and I are older……..” “And what if it’s not?” Dodger pressed. “It will be,” I replied hopefully. “And if it’s not?” He asked, making my brush lower. I didn’t say anything as my grin began to fade. Sensing the change of atmosphere, Dodger decided to switch the topic- and not for the better. 

“Hey, by the way, I wanted to ask ya. Those chicks back in the library- what did they mean by the coachman doesn’t exist? They’ve never heard of that sceezy bastard before?” “You know about the coachman?” I spun around on my stool to glance at him. He looked confused. “Uh, yeah? Thought everyone did. That’s why I was surprised with what they said back there.” I merely looked at Dodger for a short moment before sighing. I spun back around to face the mirror, now wearing a sad expression. 

“Most people don’t believe in the coachman. They think he’s just a rumour or myth grown-ups tell little boys to make them behave themselves,” I sighed. Dodger blinked astonished. “Well that’s just stupid. Don’t they wonder where all the missing boys disappear to? Or where the never-ending supply of donkeys come from?” “I guess those are facts everyone chooses to conveniently ignore,” another long sigh fell from my moist lips. “But you believe in the coachman?” He asked me. “I do; I’ve seen him before- him and some of his donkeys……..” “You have?!” Dodger gasped surprised. “A few times, yeah……. Wait, how do you know about him?! You’re a dog,” I looked back at him. Dodger set his head back down onto the bed. “I know he’s real; he tried to abduct Fagin once when he was young, after all.” “He did?!” This shocked and alarmed me. But Dodger’s eyes stayed firm. “Unsuccessfully so.” “Oh, Dodger; I’m so sorry.” 

After watching me for a second, his cute shoulder gave a small shrug. “Hey, don’t sweat it, chick. He didn’t get him and hey! At least you don’t have to worry ‘bout him anymore.” My eyes scrolled back to my reflection; they narrowed nervously. “Yeah, I sure hope you’re right……. But I guess bringing all the adults back will bring him back too……..” I hadn’t considered that before. Dodger yawned dismissively. “Eh, what do you gotta worry about? It’s little boys he’s after; not you. He’s no threat to you now.” My hand raised up to my chest as I remembered that night……. the last time I saw the coachman in person. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that……..” 

The four original VKs on this mission, along with the good kids, got up bright and early the next morning. Doug appointed himself of being in charge of our stockpile. We had to make sure there was enough supplies to last all of us three full days at sea. “Do you think we have enough food?” He pondered while scanning over his checkboard for the millionth time. While he was doing that, the rest of us were loading everything onboard. Ben straightened up after lifting several barrels of water to brush the sweat off his forehead. “It’s fine, Doug. If we’re missing anything, we can always use magic.” “I don’t trust that. We can’t rely on magic to solve all our problems. We need the proper amount of sustenance in the first place,” Doug fired back. “I’m sure we have enough,” Evie reassured him in that kind voice of hers. He looked at her with a bit of trepidation but let the issue drop. 

I set my personal bag down onto the ground and turned to all my friends. Everyone had coagulated at the plank leading onto the Argo. Jane set down her stuff as well and stretched her arms high up above her. “This is my first time leaving Auradon. I suppose we should pick a captain.” Jay scratched the side of his head. “I thought Mal was the captain.” 

Before anyone could get another word in, a series of familiar voices carried over to our ears. We glanced in unison to see Uma’s crew heading over to us. Evie, Jay, Carlos, and I looked at each other before I took a few steps forward. Uma’s feet came to a halt roughly ten feet away from me; her arms crossed in her usual defiant fashion. Harry simply, effortlessly sent me a loving smile, which I noticed first. Then my attention drifted back to the impatient-looking Uma. 

“Alright, we’re here.” “I can see that. You weren’t planning on coming with us, were you Uma?” She cocked her head at me. “Uh, yeah; we were, as a matter of fact.” A wave of horror washed over my face and Uma saw that she needed to explain herself. Her eyes rolled casually off to the side. “You see, since I’m going to be queen of the whole ocean one day, I might as well know how far my territory stretches.” “Uma, this isn’t an exploratory exhibition; it’s a rescue mission. I don’t want……. I don’t want you to come; it’ll be dangerous.” “You don’t want me to come?” Her eyebrow rose up, clearly taken aback. “No, I don’t. The idea is to avoid as much harm to as many people as possible,” I answered honestly. 

No one reacted verbally immediately. Uma seemed genuinely surprised by this declaration. Her gaze eventually moved back to her crew, then over to me. Her tongue ran across her lips like she was contemplating something. “Why?” “Why what?” I asked. “Why do you care? What’s it to you if anything bad happens to me or my crew?” She inquired sincerely. “Of course I care. It doesn’t matter who it is……..” I began. “All life is precious,” Harry finished, still staring right at me. Both Uma and I blinked dumbstruck, but he continued to smile that glorious smile of his. His eyes lowered gently onto me. Harry…….. My lips parted ever so slightly. He remembered that conversation……… after everything that’s happened, he remembered. 

Uma’s eyes blinked one more time and looked at Harry, who was standing at her right side as per usual. “And you? Are you…….. going………?” Harry responded by finally tearing his eyes off me, gazing to Uma with a solemn yet sturdy expression. “I’m sorry, Uma. I……..” “No, you don’t have to say it,” she interrupted him. Her bottom lip trembled a little before she went on. “I get it…….. You’re going; I get it.” Uma, my eyes softened onto her. I guess I’ve never really considered it much before. Uma looks just like she had before……. She’s thinking of Harry. She welcomed him to join her friend group after our parents separated us; she was there to console a heart-broken Harry. Even now, she’s in love with him and yet…….. My hands balled into fists. No wonder she’s always hated me; the poor girl. 

Uma instantly stiffened when she caught me watching her in an empathetic fashion. “What are you gawking at?!” “Huh? Oh!” I flinched; my train of thought being broken. “What’s with the sympathetic looks you’re giving me?” She demanded. “It’s uh……. nothing. Look, Uma; you really don’t have to do this. Why don’t you just stay in Auradon and……..?” “Hey! Didn’t you hear me the first time?! I already said I’m coming! If you got a problem with that, it’s “your” problem, Mally Goodshoes!” I was to say something in return, but an irritated Ben stepped in, much to our surprise. 

“I don’t believe that we say you could come along,” the prince folded his arms crossly. Harry promptly frowned, shooting him a vicious glare. “And I don’t remember needing your permission,” he hissed. “We were actually just discussing who should be our leader,” Jane announced. This made Harry blink in confusion. “What do you mean? I thought Mal was already in charge.” “That’s what I was saying,” Jay added. Suddenly all eyes were on me, searching for clarity. I scratched the back of my neck a bit awkwardly. 

“Well, actually, I agree with Jane. I think this is something we should talk about.” “Why?” Evie asked entirely confused. But Uma…….. “Ha! There’s no way I’m letting you lead me anywhere. No way.” “I never said I was the leader,” I retorted. “Why not, Mal? You’d make a great captain,” Jay imputed. “I think so too,” Carlos added. I flashed them a grateful grin. “Thanks, guys. But I don’t want to just declare myself to be the captain. I think we should do this democratically.” “Wait. You really believe in democracy? You do realize that we live in an absolute monarchy, right?” Audrey asked me like I was a total idiot. But I remained steadfast. “No, I think Mal shows good sense. We should vote on it; none of us were born into the role, after all,” Lonnie threw her two-cents in. 

Everyone waited for a minute until Jay shook his head incredulously. “Well, I flat-out disagree. It was Mal who started all this. She was the one who was willing to risk her life back on the Isle of the Lost; she’s the one who initially wanted to find our parents. She’s the reason we’re going to Prydain at all. If anyone should be our captain, it should be her- obviously.” A moment of silence followed this. Boy, did Harry beam with pride. Despite being pleased with Harry’s reaction and flattered by Jay’s words, I had to stay true to my beliefs. I smiled and shut my eyes. “I think we should vote.” 

Uma scoffed. “Fine then. Let’s vote.” “You don’t get a vote! We’re not even sure if you’re coming with us,” Ben fired back sharply. “Then, just the original four VKs then?” Jane pondered out loud. “Alright. All in favour of Mal being our captain, raise your hand,” Evie pronounced. To my mild shock, over half the good kids and all three VKs lifted their hands up into the air. I was blushing when Ben glanced back to me. He smiled at me so softly. “Looks like you’re still in charge, Mal.” “Uh, well, I……. I guess if that’s what the majority wants.” “It’s not what I want,” Audrey growled, folding her arms out in front of her. “Me either,” Uma agreed. Still, here’s we are. 

All of a sudden, all eyes were on me once more. Oh boy, I never signed on for being in charge. “Now what?” Doug questioned me.” “Now what, what?” I reiterated puzzled. “You’re the captain. What should we do now?” Carlos explained. “Oh……. oh! Uh, well I suppose just get ready to sail off. Make sure we got everything onboard and in storage.” “What about them?” Ben’s thumb stuck out at Uma and her crew. “What about them?” I asked him confused again. “They aren’t coming, are they?” I looked at Uma and let out a sigh. “I don’t think you should come, but I’m not going to stop you if you want to come.” She tisked, darting her head off to the side. “As if I need your permission either,” though her tone was lighter this time. 

“Uh, Mal?” Evie tugged on my sleeve. “Yes?” I peered over at her. “What about them?” We all looked in the direction where she was pointing, only to see all the pet animals from up in the castle garden. What?! I gasped very startled. Where did all of them come from?! How were they that quiet? But it was Carlos who looked horrified at the implication at leaving them. I glanced at him, and it was like a lightbulb went off over my head. Grinning, I walked up to him and set my hand over his shoulder. 

“Carlos, if you’d like to, would you mind staying here?” “Stay here?” He repeated, not taking his stare off the dogs. “They’ll need someone to look after them. Dodger is coming with me, but the rest of them…… They seem to trust you, and I know you’d do a very good job.” “Stay here with them…….. Can I?” And Carlos finally gazed over to me with wide eyes. This made my smile widen; my eyes lowered on him so tenderly. “Yes, course you can,” I nodded. 

Carlos’s face immediately lit up; it was like I had just given him the keys to the candy shop. He didn’t even hesitate. “Thanks, Mal,” he gave my hand a squeeze before rushing over to the creatures. They greeted him with enthusiasm. Dizzy came over to where I was standing, also observing the animals with curiosity. “I’ve never seen so many cute, little critters before.” “They came here after their owners disappeared,” I told her. Her finger ran repeatedly over her lip in a contemplative way. “That’s sure a lot of pets for one boy to take care of. Maybe I’ll stay behind and help him………” A grin reappeared on my lips as I nodded at her. “I think that’s a great idea.” Taking this as confirmation, she delightedly ran up to the puppies, greeting them with enthusiasm. 

Satisfied with this, I was about to turn and go over to see Harry. Unfortunately, Ben stopped me before I could take another step. I shouldn’t be upset by this, I told myself; I’m sure he wasn’t doing it on purpose. He smiled down at me with such sincerity. I did flinch however, when he took my hand in his without warning. “Now, Mal. If you get overwhelmed, I’m right here. I’m here to help you if you ever need me.” “Oh, thanks, Ben. That’s very sweet of you,” I grinned, pulling my hand out of his. “I’m serious, Mal. I’m used to taking charge, what with being the crowned prince and heir apparent of Auradon. I can handle the crew, and especially those pirates, if you need me to.” “I appreciate that, Ben; I really do. But I think I’ll be fine.” “You sure?” I nodded without hesitation. Yet again, I didn’t even have to think about it. After all, many dreams have recently been brought to my doorstop. And they all sport a hook. 

“I know I will be. After all, I have some very strong shoulders to hold me up now.”


	17. An Uneventful First Day Of Sailing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Argo sets off for Prydain.

I walked past the base, only to be snatched by the arm and tugged behind the corner, hidden from view of the deck. Harry was there, holding my hand with one hand and caressing me with his hook. I giggled as he proceeded to nuzzle his nose into my hair, pouring kisses on my cheek and neck. “Harry!” I whispered, making no effort to stop him whatsoever. Or at least until an unwelcomed voice interrupted us. “Mal! Mal, where are you?!” Doug hollered. Great. I’m sure he had yet another question for me- the elected captain of the Argo. 

I let out an exasperated sigh and Harry didn’t stop his caresses. I tried to move but he held me in place, his lips continuing to adorn the side of my neck and cheek with kisses. “Two more minutes,” he gasped in between pecks. His voice was so tempting that I was about to relent……. “Mal!” About to, that is. With another sigh, I gently pried myself out of his embrace. “I’ve got to go, Harry,” I told him kindly. “Mal,” he gave my cheek one last tender kiss. I held onto his hook for as long as I could, only letting go once I was out of reach. Harry wiped the side of his mouth and followed me a second later. 

“Yes, Doug?” I approached him, fixing my shirt along the way. Ben was beside me, immediately smiling at me the moment I came into sight. To be polite, I smiled back at him before returning my gaze to the upset-appearing Doug. He practically waved a piece of paper in front of my face. “I’ve calculated the trajectory of our sailing patterns!” “And?” I wasn’t quite sure where he was going with this. He huffed. “According to my map- the one acquired from the castle library, I’ll have you know- we’re going to pass several small, uninhabited islands along the way.” “Oh……. Is that a bad thing?” My eyebrow cocked. “Is that a bad thing? Yes, that’s a bad thing! How will we know which island Prydain is if it’s surrounded by a cluster of other islands, hmmmmmm?” His voice raised a little. 

I scratched the back of my head, looked at Ben, then behind me at Harry. He just shrugged, keeping his hand- and hook- buried in his pockets and wearing a nonchalant expression. Thinking about it, I turned back to an impatient Doug. “We don’t have to worry about that. The Argo will take us straight to Prydain, and besides. Prydain is a kingdom, so it’s bound to be bigger than any islands around it.” “You don’t know that!” Doug shot back. “Well, just trust my Greek relatives then. My uncle Poseidon is the one guiding the boat- he wouldn’t lead us astray.” “Yeah, just like he didn’t lead Odysseus astray on his way home,” Charles remarked sarcastically off at the side; he was leaning against a pole with his arms folded. I gave him a love before reassuring Doug. “Don’t worry. We’ll get there just fine,” I grinned. 

We had set sail that morning- it was officially “day one” of sailing. Everyone wandered around aimlessly on desk for the first half of the day; no one really knew what to do with their time. Even I wasn’t sure how to run a nautical crew- not that I needed to since the Argo navigated itself. The majority of the morning was spent hanging around on deck, doing nothing really. It slowly occurred to me that this journey could be particularly boring. But I wasn’t the one suffering from boredom; I had things to keep my mind engaged, especially whenever I thought about the Horned King. 

Still, I wanted to be as present as possible for my crew. That’s why I instantly perked up at the sound of someone heaving to my left side. I looked to see poor Jane vomiting over the edge of the boat. “Oh, Jane,” I didn’t hesitate to race over to her side. Boy, did she look sea sick. Her head turned to me in such a way that it was obviously tiring. Her mouth was hanging open; her limbs shaking. Her eyes were glossy and red. “I’ve never been on a boat before……… I didn’t know it would be like this………” She muttered in a broken sentence. I rubbed her back, ready to hold her hair back should she get sick again. That’s when Evie noticed us and ran over. “Jane! Are you ok?” She sounded worried. Jane didn’t respond, staring off into space with her mouth still open. I looked to the concerned Evie. “Could you please get Jane a cup of water? And a clean cloth, if you can find one,” I asked her. She nodded. “Course. I’ll be right back!” With that, Evie took off. 

Uma looked on unimpressed, as shown with her crossed arms and cocked eyebrow. “She shouldn’t have come onboard a ship if she’s prone to sea sickness,” she mocked. “She didn’t know she’d get so sick. How could she have? Jane’s never sailed before,” I retorted annoyed. Judgement was the last thing Jane needed right now. Uma simply scoffed. “See? This is why I’m so picky about who joins my crew. Not everyone is pirate-material.” “You got that right,” I flashed her a side-smirk. After another “hmph”, she stomped away. I stayed there with Jane until she finally felt better, which took a little time. We just sat there; me holding her hand and continuously rubbing her back while she hurled on and off again. 

The afternoon was much the same. Nothing noteworthy happened, and my assumption proved correct: sailing could be extremely boring. Dinnertime was more interesting. Jay, Evie, and surprisingly Gil cooked and prepared everything. The Argo had a massive, long, wooden table which was used for everything, but primarily eating. We sat in two disorganized lines, with no clear seating pattern. The only given was Harry and I sitting across from each other; Ben sat on my right side and Evie on my left. Gil excitedly served the food and we began eating. All the while Harry and I played footies under the table; though you couldn’t tell by the conversation going on. Ben kept talking to me, with Evie and Jane joining in. Jay and Lonnie seemed to be getting on; they kept to themselves mostly over the meal. Uma, Harry, and Gil conversed nonchalantly, speaking with us every so often. I had to admit, there was this sense of community growing throughout the vessel. It felt good, like actually being part of something with good intensions. 

Dessert was the best part. Evie made dark chocolate cake for everyone. Heh, and here I thought it might be apple pie. I know, I know; not funny. It looked delicious, though. I noticed that Gil served Harry a larger piece than me, which didn’t really bother me. I didn’t take it personally; Gil’s better friends with Uma’s crew anyway. But when Jay called over to me for something, my head spun back to see that our plates had been switched. I now had the bigger slice of cake and Harry had my smaller piece. I blinked up to him, and he merely smiled back at me. Of course, I mirrored his beautiful, adoring expression. Harry……… 

Everyone went to bed somewhat early that first night. I couldn’t say how I knew, but I somehow knew that tomorrow would be more eventful than today. The sensation came over me when I was brushing my hair, like I had in front of my vanity yesterday. Lonnie saw me lower my brush as I stared off into nowhere in a thoughtful fashion. “Mal? You ok?” She asked in a gentle tone. My shoulders suddenly perked up and I spun around to face her. “Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine. It’s just…….. You ever get this feeling?” “What kind of feeling?” She pondered curiously. “I don’t know……. It’s weird. It feels……. It almost feels like a loss, dread……… I don’t know how to describe it,” my hand ran over my forehead. 

Lonnie considered this for a moment, nodding her head ever so slightly. “Could it be missing your dad? Is that it?” She eventually inquired. I shook my head a tiny bit. “I don’t think so……. It’s probably nothing; just nerves about getting to Prydain, I guess.” “That makes sense. We got a busy day coming very, very soon.” “Yeah, you’re right……… You’re right,” after nodding my head again, I continued brushing my hair. Course Lonnie’s right. Tomorrow’s going to be just like today, I’m sure. Still, I wanted to get a good night sleep- I can’t say why this felt important. It just did.


	18. Some Things Are Best Left Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal has a memory she can't (and won't) remember.

I couldn’t stop tossing and turning in my bed. Getting to sleep that first night was hard, despite my wanting to go to bed earlier. Something just felt……. off. Ever since I started brushing my hair, I couldn’t shake this morbid feeling. Or at least not until I woke up the next morning. But until then, my mind drifted off into this faraway place. Somewhere familiar and yet which I’ve forgotten…….. Somewhere which only exists in my subconscious now. And it’s remnants still affect me to this day…….. 

Mal’s Dream (which is really a childhood memory she doesn’t remember)- 

[Pain……. Pain and fear; a fear I’d never experienced before. I was three years old at the time; too young to comprehend what was happening to me. All I knew was that I wasn’t with my father, and he was looking for me. 

The man with the long, black beard dragged me along behind him by my arm. Despite being born on an island full of villains, I’d never seen anyone like him before. He was loud; he was boorish; he wore this massive, toothy, greedy smile. It hurt how tightly he held onto me with his fat hand. He scared me- there’s no other way to say it. I’d never met anyone like him before, and I was too terrified to make a sound. I simply let him take me without struggle. After all, what could a tiny toddler do against a colossal giant like him? 

We went inside an abandoned warehouse after my abductor quickly checked around. I almost fell down the metal staircase, he was going that fast. At the bottom of the staircase was another big man; this one wearing a tacky suit and glasses. The sight of his two pure-bred dogs made me shrink inside. My kidnapped greeted the new man with gusto, waving his free, thick hand in the air. 

“Hey, Sykes! Lookie here! Got another one for ya!” My abductor yanked me in front of him to show me off. The man, named Sykes I assumed, merely glared down at me with distain. He shifted the cigar from one side of his mouth to the other. “Stromboli, you idiot. He said he wanted boys. What good is she to us? We can’t sell her,” Sykes hissed viciously. “What do you mean “what good”? You said to bring bad children; not just boys,” my kidnapper retorted in puzzled tone. “I said bad boys; not girls. We can’t ship her off to Pleasure Island. Take her out back and throw her off the harbour,” Sykes rubbed his eyes with his fingers. I was too young to realize that he was essentially ordering my murder. Stromboli however, frowned; his hand rolled into an annoyed fist.

“Now you listen to me, Sykes. I say we can sell her!” His finger pointed to the sky…… for some reason. “And I’m telling you that he specifically ordered little boys. That’s what he’s paying us for. He’s got a new quota to fill for the salt mines, and she won’t do it. Take her out back and bring me a bloody boy.” “No! She’s young! We sell her!” Sykes huffed, rolling his eyes. “Look, if you don’t want to do the job, then throw her to Roscoe and DeSoto. They haven’t eaten yet today.” I didn’t understand why the dogs started to growl at me hungrily. 

Before either man could utter another word, another presence appeared out of nowhere. And I do mean nowhere- it’s like he came out of thin air. We all spun to see this tall, slender, old man at the side of room. He was interesting yet intimidating sort of person; I wasn’t as afraid of him as my abductor, but he still overawed me a little. He was old, and I do mean old. Like really old. He had very long grey hair, and a grey beard which parted a little over halfway down. His nose was predominant, and his hands were bony. He wore a blue garment; almost like a cross between an overcoat and a dress. On top of his head was a pointy hat with golden stars and a crescent moon sewn all over it. I didn’t know at the time that this was the most powerful sorcerer in the world- even more than Merlin. The only magic stronger than his was of the Greek gods. 

The old wizard just stood there, eyeing the men. His face wasn’t one of anger. Don’t get me wrong; it was clear that he wasn’t happy with them, but he didn’t look mad- if that makes any sense. No, his expression was much more……. powerful. As for Sykes and Stromboli, they acted more irritated by his unforeseen arrival than anything. “Who’s the geezer?” Stromboli asked Sykes, sticking his thumb the magician’s way. Sykes glowered at the old man through his glasses. “Who cares? Take care of ‘em, boys,” he was about to snap his big fingers. But he was halted by the old man raising up both arms. Only then did the two kidnappers appeared afraid. 

The wizard moved his hands in such a way, and without another word, both Sykes and Stromboli vanished on the spot. Judging by their terrified screams, it sounded painful- whatever happened to them. I don’t know to this day if he actually killed them for good, but I never saw or heard anything about either of them again. Even the dogs disappeared. Standing there now in this empty room with the man who just made two monsters evaporate without a trace……. That itself was terrifying. 

Still not saying anything, the old man approached me; his eyes narrowing down onto me severely. I didn’t know what to do, so I did nothing. After a minute of silently watching me, he reached down to pick me up. He awkwardly- awkward for me, that is- cradled me in his skinny arms. While three-year-old me was all flustered by the situation, the wizard never stopped acting with pose. He proceeded to carry me out of the warehouse and down several roads; neither of us making a sound. 

The sorcerer only stopped when we reached a location; I didn’t recognize it. He stopped, looked upwards, back at me, then up to the sky once more. Without warning, he set me down onto my feet and straightened back up. I scanned around, not seeing anything I knew, and when I turned back to the old man, he was gone. He left me there, in the middle of nowhere, all by myself. The horror and gravity of the scenario hit me pretty hard just then; or as hard as a toddler can interpret these kinds of things. Unsurprisingly, I broke down, curling into a little ball and starting to cry my eyes out. I had no idea where I was or why that scary man had taken me……. And I had no clue as to how I would get home. All I knew is that I wanted my daddy. I wanted to see my daddy; to be safe in his arms once again. 

The sound of a boy’s laughter made my head lift up a tad. I looked to find a skinny boy in green flying through the air. He was actually flying; something I didn’t know kids could do. The boy didn’t see me for a while, too wrapped up in his own fun and amusement. But eventually he did spot me. He paused mid-air, waiting a second before flying over to me. He looked confused but still smiled widely. 

“Hey, whatcha crying for? You lost?” I didn’t say anything; merely ogled him wordlessly. “You live around here or something? Where’s your mom or dad?” The boy thought to himself for a moment when I didn’t reply. He suddenly snapped his fingers in realization. “I bet you are lost! Hey, why don’t you come to Neverland with me? Yeah! You’ll be the very first lost girl!” His voice was over-seasoned with enthusiasm. I don’t know why, but the thought of being away from my father any longer made me burst into tears a second time. Both of my hands lifted to cover my eyes as I sobbed uncontrollably. The boy flinched alarmed. 

“What’s wrong? Don’t you wanna come with me?” He sounded more than a little concerned. “Daddy…….. I want my Daddy,” I managed to hiccup out in between sobs. “Your dad?” The boy repeated. He rubbed his both lip with his fingers, rolling his eyes to the side in a considerate manner. Nothing happened immediately, but soon enough I felt a hand land overtop my tiny hair. I peeked up, lowering my hands a tad to see him beaming back at me. His hand felt so secure and nice on my head. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you back to your dad.” Him saying this must have made me happy, since I don’t remember crying anymore after that. Upon seeing my elated and relieved reaction, his eyes lowered onto me. His grin widened in the corners organically, as if to be thinking of something pleasant. “Huh, you remind me of Wendy.”] 

I woke up with a jolt, like when you wake up from a nightmare. After bouncing in bed, I made my body relax as I ran my hand over my face. Funny enough, Evie was still awake reading in her bed. She looked over at me, who was laying down across from her bed. 

“Mal, what’s wrong?” She asked worriedly. “N-Nothing; just had a bad dream, I guess,” I sighed, still running my hand over my face. “A bad dream? What about?” What about? Huh, you know, I actually couldn’t remember. It’s as if it was entirely erased from my mind once I woke up. “I don’t know……. Must be nerves about the trip or something,” I sighed. Evie nodded. “That makes sense.” With that, she turned back to her book and I rolled onto my back. Not giving it another thought, I shut my eyes and let myself drift back off into a dark, endless abyss. 

[“Did you hear about what happened to Lampwick?” “No. Why? What’s happened to him?” Silence. “Peter, what’s happened to him? He’s still alive, right?” More silence. “Peter, tell me what’s happened. He’s alive; he’s gotta be alive!” Peter Pan didn’t say anything more, simply frowning and resting his hand over top of mine.]


	19. Dance With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm (don't worry, it's coming very soon).

“We’ll be reaching the first islands soon,” Doug informed us while studying his trusty map. “Really?” I perked up. Huh, that was fast. It was already getting late on our second day of sailing. It’d be dark out soon. It wasn’t a particularly eventful day yet. Or that was until Jane suggested that, simply to assume ourselves, we should have a dance party. Not seeing a reason as to why not, I gave the go ahead. She excitedly cast a spell with her mother’s magic wand to get some music out of nowhere playing. None of us had any fancy dresses or tuxes, but our regular clothes worked just fine. 

It began with a bit of an unorganized mass. None of the VKs knew how to ballroom dance, so we just went free style at first. But as the evening progressed, we collectively got more structured. I wouldn’t say we were ballroom dancing per se, but some bastardised version of it. We’d swing around in pairs, switching every so often. By eight o’clock, everyone was laughing and having a grand old time. Well, almost everyone. 

I danced with Evie, Lonnie, Jay, Doug, and even Gil. It didn’t matter who danced with who; we just went with whoever was in front of us. Even Uma got into it. The only ones who elected from the side were Harry, Audrey, and Dizzy. I knew why Harry hadn’t joined in- he’s never been one much for dancing. I couldn’t tell you about Audrey or Dizzy. 

I had just finished up a second round with Evie when a familiar figure approached me. It was Ben; someone I surprisingly had not danced yet with. He gave me his trademark smile, holding out his hand for me. “May I?” I grinned back, taking his hand. Why shouldn’t I dance with Ben? I’ve danced with my other male friends before tonight, and I didn’t see how this platonic waltz would be any different. I was surprised though, by how tightly he was holding onto my hand once he had it. He kept smiling at me the entire time we danced together. 

“See? I knew you could dance.” “Badly,” I chuckled gently. “Nonsense! You’re a natural.” “Well thank you. We didn’t have many opportunities to dance back on the island.” Ben’s grin began to fade. “I hadn’t realized how much you’ve been deprived of in your childhood there.” “Oh, it’s not your fault, Ben. Anyway, how could you have known?” “All the same, I don’t think the sins of the parents should have fallen onto the children so literally. To think you’ll be returning to such a place…….” Ben’s words trailed off. As if it were possible, his grip actually tightened around my hand. I glanced from it back to his concerned face. His eyes lowered onto me with the upmost tenderness, catching me a bit off guard. Why was he looking at me so…… intently like that? 

“You’re too good for that god-forsaken place, Mal.” “Oh, Ben.” “No, I mean it. That such a person could come from there; it shouldn’t be possible, but here you are…….” My lips parted startled as his hand left my waist to brush a few stray hairs off the side of my face. “Ben, what are you……..?” I was more than a little confused. But Ben looked more certain than I’d ever seen him before. “Things will be different, Mal; I’ll make sure they are. When I’m king, I’ll change everything for you guys- all the VKs on the Isle of the Lost. You’ll never have to live like that again.” “Ben, that’s……..!” I didn’t know quite what to say to that. What a kind move on his part; I mean, he didn’t have to make our situation better, but he was going to all the same. 

Satisfied with my reaction, a smile returned across his lips. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was holding me closer than before. He leaned his head in towards to mine, so to nearly whisper in my ear. “Maybe you won’t have to go back at all,” his voice was so determined. Before I could respond, Jane yelled for everyone to switch partners. Ben gave my hand one last squeeze and me one last smile before going off to dance with Lonnie; he was replaced with Evie for me.

After all that dancing, I had to go take a break and cool off. I went to the quiet part of the dock where there was a beautiful view of all the stars. Going over to the ledge, my elbows softly rested on the wood while I took in the beautiful sky high above me. My eyes shut and I drew in a long, deep breath. The salty sea air felt so good filling my lungs……. 

The moment was only made better by a beloved voice. A voice so precious to me…….. “You know, watching you tonight made me realize that we’ve never danced with each other.” Smiling, I spun around to see him; my hand was still on the wood of the ledge. “Harry…….” Matching my euphoric smile, Harry stepped over to me. I merely watched him with ease as his hand stretched up to caress the side of my cheek; his eyes staring so adamantly down into mine. “Harry………” “Mal.” 

My hand reached up to cover his in an affection fashion. My eyes lowered a bit. So did Harry’s. “Incredible……. Each time I look at you, you’re even more beautiful to me.” “You too,” I breathed. “I wish there words to tell you……..” “I already know, Harry; I can hear it in your voice.” He chuckled. “Good, cause I can’t think of a good way to say it. Except for maybe when I hold you, I know I’m holding the whole world in my hands.” “Harry……..” He couldn’t have made my knees turn more into jelly if he tried. Or so I thought. Still smiling, Harry removed his hand- and hook- and took a step backwards. I watched breathlessly as he raised his hand out in the air. “Tonight’s the night, babe. Take my hand; dance with me.” 

You can guess that’s all he needed to say. Without a second of hesitation, I took his hand, letting him gently pull me to where he was standing. We weren’t do any particular kind of dance. Instead we simply swayed back and forth, growing ever increasing closer to each other. Neither of us dared say another word- what else was there to say? After looking at one another’s face one more time, I moved in to rest my cheek against his shoulder. Harry’s arm wrapped around me so protectively and possessively. I in turn clung onto the back of his shirt. We didn’t say anything but we both knew what the other was thinking…….. 

I knew it. I was right all along. Back what I told Ben that day on Auradon. “Our circumstance is different, but our feelings haven't changed. No matter where I am, I know our feelings won't change. They're safe inside our hearts.” It didn’t matter. The time we lost, the opinions of others, the spaces between us…….. none of it matters. Nothing will change what Harry and I have; he is safe inside my heart now and forever more. My fingers clung to him even harder. After all, I’m so in love with him that all others seem utterly ridiculous.


	20. A Nightmare Come True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal receives some distressing news from Tinker Bell.

Harry’s and my slow dancing was interrupted by a kind face. Jay appeared from around the bend, instantly grinning over at us. “Hey, love birds,” his hand rested against the plank of wood beside him. We stopped dancing so to face him. Harry snaked his arm around my back, putting his hand on the back of my head which he pressed into his chest. A smile drew across my face as I shut my eyes, more than happy to be held like this. “What is it, Jay?” Harry asked, though his tone wasn’t as annoyed or stern as you might imagine. 

“We’re just about to pass the first island. We were thinking that we might stop by and stretch our legs?” “Sure,” my eyes reopened to see Jay. With one more approving grin at us, Jay went back to the others, leaving us alone yet again. Harry kissed the side of my head, shutting his eyes so tenderly. We stayed like that for a minute before he released me. Hand-in-hook we returned to our friends. 

It was really dark out by now; I’m surprised Doug was still able to navigate so well. This particular island wasn’t big and didn’t have a beach to land on. Instead it rose out of the wall, creating a cliffside. Luckily the Argo was just tall enough that we could climb up onto it with relative ease. Ben was the first off the boat, followed by Charles, Evie, and the rest. Ben offered me his hand when it was my turn to step off; I took it, but Harry grabbed my waist with his one hand and helped hoist me up nonetheless. 

The island was……… Well, it was an island. A couple of trees, some shrubs, and not a wide array of wildlife. If anything, I’d say it almost looked depleted. It wasn’t like the Isle of the Lost or Auradon; it looked barren and inhospitable, despite the fauna covering the surface. Still, there was fresh water and area to move around. We didn’t really do anything, expect for meander and exercise our limbs. I stretched my intertwined fingers high up above me while just wandering aimlessly around. It felt good to be off the boat at least. And I didn’t know that these were the last few precious seconds of calm before the horrific on-coming storm. 

The peace didn’t last too long, however. Doug took a keen interest in surveying the new land. He kneeled down to pick up some dirt in between his fingers, sifting it through with intent. Then he straightened up and looked at Ben. “I don’t get it.” “What?” Ben asked him. “Well by the looks of it, this soil should be fertile. Yet, nothing’s growing here. It’s just…… land; sterile land.” “Huh……..” Ben glanced around ponderingly; he didn’t seem too concerned by this. But Jay seemed intrigued, approaching Doug’s side. “Why wouldn’t anything grow here? Looks healthy enough to me.” “I don’t know; it doesn’t make any sense. It’s almost like the land is cursed or something………” Doug’s voice trailed off in a contemplative fashion. Jay didn’t say anything more, instead scanning over the ground again. Ben scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. “Maybe it’s because of its proximity to the Horned King?” “Maybe……..” Doug muttered clearly confused. 

I admittedly wasn’t paying too much attention to their conversation. Barren or not, I was enjoying the free time we had here. I stared up at the stars, soaking in their glory. One in particular caught my eye. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was actually moving- like moving in our direction, towards us. My lips parted as this theory was gradually confirmed. What originally seemed to be a star appeared to be moving in the sky. As it got closer and closer, I realized that it was a lot smaller than anticipated. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed it by now; a startled Evie, Uma, and Gil came over to my side. They watched the glowing object with curiosity. 

“What is that?” Evie asked pointing to the light. “I don’t know……….” My head tilted slightly. “Could it be a firefly?” Gil inquired. “Nuh nuh, too big,” Uma countered. We waited for it to get closer, only for my heart to skip a beat when it finally did. My eyes grew gigantic. She was near enough now that we could hear her jingle. Tinker Bell! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! It was Tinker Bell, Peter’s fairy! She was flying frantically in our direction, carrying something bigger than her in her tiny hands. Forgetting that I wasn’t by myself, I ran to where she was coming into. My arms extended out to catch her in the palm of my hands. “Tinker Bell!” My voice sliced through the silent night air. 

The poor exhausted creature eventually made it to me. She landed right in my hands, letting herself collapse onto them. She was panting and very, very sweaty; my guess is that she flew as fast as she could all the way from Neverland. I felt my heart begin to sink when I saw that what she’d been carrying this whole way was Peter’s green hat. My hands shifted Tinker Bell into one hand so I could take Peter’s hand into the other; I don’t think my nerves could have shaken more in that moment. 

“Tinker Bell, where’s Peter? What’s happened to him?” My voice was already panicked. Her small head turned up to face mine. She told me in her own language what happened, all the while my eyes kept getting progressively wider. “He……. He took him? All of them? The lost boys too?” Tinker Bell confirmed this, going on. I felt like I was going to throw up. “But…… no; no, that’s not possible. The adults disappeared…….. all the adults disappeared. The coachman must be gone…….. He can’t have kidnapped Peter and the lost boys! He’s gone!” I was yelling by now. Tinker Bell shook her head with sorrow. 

Meanwhile, everyone was gawking at us with shocked and alarmed expressions now. “Is that……. Tinker Bell?” Audrey sputtered. “How does she know Mal? And……. for that matter, how does she know Peter Pan? Wait, Mal knows Peter Pan?!” Doug gasped. “Mal, what’s wrong? Did something happen to him?” Evie pressed me; not that I answered. I wasn’t listening to any of them right now; my full, undivided attention was locked onto the fairy in the hand. Tinker Bell had started crying by this point; she was a mess, to put it nicely. And I wasn’t handling the news too well myself either. The hand holding her began to tremble. 

“Where did take them?! Where’s Peter Pan now?!” I demanded very loudly. More tinkering on Tinker Bell’s end. My jaw hung open when I heard the answer. “Pleasure Island……..” My voice drifted off into nowhere as did my eyes. No…….. No. Just no. The coachman couldn’t have abducted Peter and the others; he’s gone. He must be gone. How could he have survived the Horned King’s mass incarceration? He couldn’t have……… Tears swelled up in the corners of my eyes. A sea of memories came flooding over me; it honestly felt like someone punched me in the stomach with all their might. I hadn’t felt a loss like this since……… Peter………. Peter……… Peter Pan. 

“Mal?” I didn’t hear Harry calling out to me. My eyes winced shut for a moment, only to reopen full of tears. It simultaneously hit me like a lightning bolt that I didn’t have any time to spare. If Peter Pan and the lost boys were dragged to Pleasure Island, then there was no time to lose. Sensing my intense change in demeaner, Tinker Bell fluttered off my palm and hovered very close to me. I didn’t look at my friends, I didn’t look anywhere except for the edge of the island. A concerned Evie reached her hand out for me, taking a step my way. “Mal…….” She began. But I didn’t let her finish. 

“Stay here!” I commanded with more authority than I’d ever used before in my life. My feet instantly started marching, then running towards the end of the cliff. “Tink!” Was the only word I had to say. As if reading my mind, Tinker Bell circled around me, covering me in fairy dust. And just in time. By the time I reached the ledge, I was able to fly upwards. Everyone’s mouth dropped open at the sight of me flying straight up in the dark sky. I got up thirty feet or so, scanning over the horizon. There, in the very far distance south side, I could see the faintest of different coloured lights. Tinker Bell confirmed to me that they came from Pleasure Island. Realizing which way I had to go now, I flew back down to the ground, setting my feet firmly on the grass. Then, with a heavy heart and more than enough determination, I turned to face all my friends, who were still ogling me wide-eyed. I drew in a deep, deep breath before speaking. 

“The coachman’s taken my friend, Peter Pan, and the lost boys. He’s taken them to Pleasure Island…….. where he’ll turn them into donkeys.” Of course, no one said anything right away. But I think they knew this was serious enough not to make any quick and ill-formed remarks. Eventually, Jane let out a breath in disbelief. “He’s real……..? The coachman, he’s real?” “How do you know that’s what happened? All the adults vanished. Why wouldn’t he? And I’m not still sure he is real. Maybe your fairy’s mistaken,” Audrey had the misfortune to say. I don’t know why but that me off. Oh boy, did that set me off. I sent her the nastiest, most enraged glare I could fashion. 

“I don’t give a damn if you think he’s real or not! That man, that……. that monster stole my friend! My dear friend, Peter Pan- someone who’s precious to me! I don’t care what you believe! But I’m not going to stay here and let him turn Peter into an animal! Peter’s not going to end up like Lampwick! No! Never! Not while I’m here,” my hands balled into fists with my last sentence. 

For a very stunned second, no one dared utter another word; at least to me. I think they were all dumbfounded to hear me raise my voice like that. It certainly shut Audrey up. Even Uma and Charles looked apprehensive to say anything. To no one’s surprise however, it was Ben to say something next. He took a single step towards me; his voice peppered with concern. 

“Ok, so…….. This man called the coachman…….. He took Peter Pan and the lost boys?” “To Pleasure Island, yes,” I affirmed. “And you…….. want to go bring them back?” “Yes, before they turn into donkeys,” my head nodded with complete resolution. Jay gulped and Harry……… I won’t tell you what Harry was looking like right now. “But Mal…….. Isn’t the coachman dangerous? Even he can’t turn you into a donkey?” “Yes, Jay; he is. But that doesn’t matter right now. Look, this isn’t up for negotiation- I’m going, alone. I’m going to save Peter and the others before it’s too late.” 

“No, you’re not.” You can guess who said that. With a bit less intensity, I spun to see Harry approach me. My posture softened, though was still as determined. “Harry, I have to.” “No, you don’t. You’re not going to some creepy island where there’s some child-kidnapping psychopath. No; not gonna happen,” Harry came nearer to me. His entire body language screamed fear. “I understand you’re scared for me, but if I don’t go, Peter will be lost. Please, Harry. I love him; he’s my friend. He’s been there ever since I can remember. Please…….. I don’t wanna lose him, and more than that, I don’t want him to die. I have to go,” I asserted. 

Harry didn’t even take a moment to consider. He simply extended his hook out to take hold of my wrist. His eyes locked onto mine. “I’ll go.” “What?” I blinked perplexed. But he stayed firm. “I’ll go and get Peter and the lost boys. You stay here with the others.” “No, you can’t! Boys can’t go onto Pleasure Island, lest you turn into donkeys. Only girls can go without transforming,” my hand placed over his hook. “That doesn’t make it less dangerous for you, Mal!” Harry shot back. “I don’t care about that! I’ve never cared about that! Even when I left the Isle of the Lost……. I wasn’t scared about what happened to me because I wanted my father back more. I want to save Peter Pan; I have to.” Harry’s mouth opened to counter this, but no words came out. Jane saw her opportunity to intervene. “But I thought you were terrified of the coachman?” She questioned. I looked at her. “I am. But I guess I love Peter more than I fear him.” 

I said this and gazed back to Harry. While he was petrified, we both already knew how this was going to end. “I’ll be alright. I know why you let me go, back on the island…….. It went against every fibre in your body, but you still did it. I know that when push comes to shove, you will never stop me from doing what’s right.” Harry’s eyes lowered onto me. “It’s because it’s who you are…….. Gotta take the whole package, and I wouldn’t change a thing. You’re right; I wanna stop you. I wanna tie you to the frikin bed. But…….. As much as it kills me, I won’t. I could never stand in the way of your happiness like that.” “Harry………” With all the tenderness I could muster, I gave his hook a squeeze. I could tell it was physically painful for him to tear his hook away from me. Then I turned to address the others. 

“There’s no time to waste. Stay here with the Argo and don’t move. I’m going to transform into a dragon and fly to Pleasure Island.” “No,” Evie was the one to stop me this time. I blinked over to her startled until I saw her, Uma, Jane, Freddie, and Lonnie all grinning back at me. They looked very unwavering as well. “You said girls can’t transform into donkeys? Then we’re coming with you.”


	21. Rescue From Pleasure Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal goes to rescue Peter Pan and the lost boys from Pleasure Island.

Since there was more of us going, we decided to take the Argo. We left a rowboat for the boys staying behind on the small island just in case. I had to wake Dodger up; he had been snoozing on my bed since sunset. Of course he was horrified when I told him everything and did his best to dissuaded me. When that failed, he anxiously relented and got off the boat. We hugged each other; everyone was hugging everyone by now. 

Ben and Jay came over to me as I was releasing Dodger. Ben’s hand took mine and he helped me straighten up. “You don’t have to do this, Mal,” Ben pressed. “Yes, I do,” I replied without a hint of hesitation. “Then let me come with you. I can help.” “No, Ben. Pleasure Island was created for the sole reason of turning boys into donkeys. It’s plain old not safe for you.” He didn’t say much after that. Instead he pulled me into a tight hug, which caught me off guard. But I platonically hugged him back. Then he let me go and Jay came in to embrace me. “Be careful,” he whispered into my ear. After he retracted his arms, he went back over to Lonnie- who, I should add, had a ton of swords ready to bring with her. Ben gave me one last nod and my hand one last squeeze before going back to join the others. 

While everyone who was going was preparing to board the ship, I went to a private area to finally see Harry. This was the part we were both dreading. We merely stared at each other for a minute before Harry grabbed my arm; he tugged me into him where he coiled his arms securely around me. While I buried my head into his chest, he placed his hand on the back of my head. Gently rocking me back and forth, we stayed like that for at least two minutes. At the end of it, he told me: “You better come back in one piece.” Then he showered my cheeks and forehead with a thousand kisses. It took every inch of his willpower to let me leave his arms. He didn’t say another word as we girls boarded the Argo and sailed away from the island. We all waved until the land was out of sight, and we were on our way to the infamous Pleasure Island. 

Sailing was a very frightening experience. Everyone was eerily quiet, but I could tell we were all thinking the same thing. Unlike me, they had the fortune never to see the coachman or any of his donkeys before. So on the one hand, they had no idea what to expect. Until tonight, the coachman was a myth, a legend- nothing tangible and dangerous. But I knew……. I’m not sure if that was better or not; at least right now. 

I sat on the floor of the deck beside Evie. Uma was at the helm, and Jane was with Freddie watching over the side of the ship. Lonnie was on the floor opposite us; she occupied herself by sharpening her blades. At some point, I had been watching her for a while and she gazed up at me. Neither of us said anything; the dread was palpable. But I smiled- or rather forced a sad, scared smile. I think it was a show of solidarity more than anything. Lonnie matched my awkward smile, which we kept until she continued to work on her swords. 

To be completely honest, I had no idea what to expect when we finally arrived at Pleasure Island. I know it was supposed to be a young delinquent’s dream land- whatever that would be like- but wasn’t quite sure what we were in for. What I secretly hoped, though wasn’t too hopeful for, was that we would not run into the coachman while there. If all went well, we’d find Peter Pan and the lost boys- still in human form- and get the hell off the island before anyone notices. But the moment the island came into view, all hope I had begun to deplete. 

Pleasure Island from the outside was not at all what I expected- not at all. It looked like a normal, albeit deserted place. The amusement park was nowhere to be seen from the exterior, and my heart sank into my stomach as the Argo carried us through this creepy hole into a gigantic, high-dome cave. It suddenly dawned on me why Pinocchio said he had no sense of time on the island- the park was inside a cave! No sunlight could reach inside, not that it was sunny out now anyway. That was a terrifying discovery; it really gave a sense of separation from the rest of the world and imprisonment. No one dared say anything as the ship docked. 

Beside us was a paddle steamer; my guess is that’s how the coachmen brought the sea of boys to the island, and donkeys off the island. It looked like it hadn’t been in operation for quite some time. Despite being inside the cave and at the dock, the park was still nowhere to be seen. There was only the paddle steamer and a set of two large, heavy wood doors at the end of the dock. The doors were actually bolded into the walls of the cave. We all looked at each other and nervously stepped off the boat. 

I was willing to bet that the actual park was behind those solid-looking doors, which is the direction I started at. Evie pulled me back behind the side of the paddle steamer when she suddenly heard something. We froze as a new male voice echoed through our section of the cave. He was laughing; a deep, hardy, true laugh- the kind that comes from your chest. “See? What’d I tell ya?! Easy money, that!” He choked out in between laughs. I summoned up my courage to peak behind the edge to see who it was. 

A human-sized fox and his small companion, a brown cat, were walking across the way. They were both in beat-up, patchy, ugly suits, with the fox sporting a dishevelled top hat. Boy, did they look happy about something. I’d never seen them in real life before but based on their appearance and cocky demeanour, I figured out who they were. “Honest John……..” I muttered to myself in a whisper. He kept on laughing and laughing, though the cat merely smiled along. “Yes, nothing brings the gold in like stupid, little boys. Ha, you’d think those blokes would have moved after Hook found their hideaway.” Honest John gave his kitty chum a nudge with his elbow. “Lucky for us, Pan didn’t think twice about living in Hangman’s Tree, hey kitty?” Pan! My eyes instinctively widened at hearing this. My friends wore horrified expressions when I rather suddenly and unpredictably straightened up and turned the bend with intension. Honest John and the cat didn’t have time to react before I ran up to them. 

Honest John let out a shriek as I practically body-slammed him into the ground. He landed with a thud on his back; I landed overtop of him, pinning him down with all my strength. For someone who was acting so confident minutes before, he was shocked and defensive now. My hands gripped his disgusting, dirty shirt so intensely. My friends ran out from the hiding place, coming to stand behind me. The mute cat looked like didn’t know what to do; certainly not pry me off his friend which should have been natural. Honest John raised his hands up in front of him afraid. I gave him a furious little shake. 

“Where’s Peter Pan?! Where is he?!” I demanded, not holding back the loudness of my voice. “I’d tell her if I were you, lest you want to be skinned alive,” Uma threatened, and Lonnie showed her sword for emphasis. Honest John’s lips trembled terribly. “I-Inside…… H-He’s inside the park, I swear!” He sounded as frightened as you can imagine. “How did you get him here?! Peter would never willingly come to this hellhole!” “W-We drugged him; him and the lost boys! We left some cake outside their house for them to find!” He exposited. I considered for a second, still holding him in place. Then I shot him another intimidating glare. 

“Why didn’t you disappear like the other adults?” Granted, they are technically animals, but they seemed humanoid enough to count. Honest John sputtered. “T-The coachman- he paid the Horned King off! He said we’d supply his empire with labour donkeys each year if he didn’t put us in the cauldron with the rest! That’s the truth, honest!” My friends glanced at each other in sheer shock while my eyes wandered off into space thoughtfully. He’s telling the truth……. I can tell somewhere deep inside of me that he is. Sensing my grip slipping, the fox began to squirm under me. This grabbed my attention and I gave him one final warning glower. “Get out!” I commanded getting off of him. He scrambled to his feet and immediately took off, followed by the cat. They vanished into the darkness, never to be seen again. 

We waited until they were out of sight before spinning our heads back to the doors. Freddie looked at Jane, who looked at Lonnie, who looked at Uma, who looked at Evie, who looked at me. After taking in a deep breath, I took her hand; we all linked hands and headed towards the set of doors. They weren’t open fully but they weren’t locked either; good thing too cause they were too heavy for us to move by ourselves. We slipped in one-by-one until we were all officially inside the park. And what a park it was. 

The first thing that hit me was the sheer size of the place. It was enormous! And not in a good way. It felt crushing, like walking into an execution ring. It was dark, it was humid, and it smelt revolting. Beer and tobacco and food leftovers that no one had bothered to clean up. It truly assaulted the senses. It assaulted the mind too. Lots of still rides and these terrifying clown heads and balloons. Eerily quiet for an amusement park, which only added to the terror. 

For the first ten minutes, no one made a sound. I don’t know why but it felt like we were constantly being watched no matter where we went. I was so sure we’d see someone or something slither in the shadows. But nothing came out to us; we seemed to be the only living beings in the area. Eventually after ten minutes, I thought it safe enough to finally make some noise. 

“Peter! Peter Pan!” The dome ceiling made my yell echo all throughout the park. While my friends were initially horrified by the sudden noise, they didn’t hesitate to join in when nothing bad happened. “Peter!” “Peter! Lost Boys!” “Where are you, Peter Pan?!” The only sounds in this god forsaken place were the sounds of our voices, which wasn’t encouraging at all. We passed this particularly disturbing stall with this scary wooden gangster puppet outside it; it was called “The Rough House”. Another attraction nearby was “Tobacco Row”, with these insidious caricatures lining both sides up and down. What stuck out the most to me was the “Model Home: Open for Destruction”. I prayed the other girls didn’t see it. This place was downright sick. 

My friends seemed to be of the same persuasion of all this as I was. Even Uma and Freddie were appalled. “What kind of place is this?” Evie asked no one in particular. “An island of vice; that’s for sure,” Lonnie said with disapproval. “Who would want to come here? It’s disgusting!” Jane remarked. “It’s supposed to be a paradise for bad boys, so I guess we wouldn’t understand. It wasn’t designed for us,” I responded still scanning around for any sign of movement. “That’s obvious,” Uma agreed with a tisk. 

We reached this large eight-ball, which was the pool hall I assumed. Inside was nothing but a mess. Knocked over poker tables, spilled mugs of beer, a tear in the pool table, and a broken mirror. Seeing that there was nobody in here, we were about to leave until……. I caught sight of something on the floor- a hat. Wide-eyed and broken-hearted, my hand plucked up the poor piece of fabric; I pressed it up against my chest over my heart for a moment. I’m not sure how I knew who’s hat this was, but I did. My eyes had to shut so to not shed a tear. Lampwick…….. 

The six of us searched the park with no success for a long time. Eventually we were nearing the back of the park. Evie blinked to me worried. “What are we going to do, Mal? We’re almost at the end.” As destiny would have it, before I could answer the slightest motion grabbed the corner of my eye. My head darted to the side, where there was a corner concealed in a shadow. My feet ground to a halt, and my friends followed suit. I eyed the corner so closely, trying to distinguish any silhouette of anything. Soon enough, my lips parted a sliver. “Peter……..” I didn’t holler this time. 

Nothing happened for a minute. Then my eyes grew progressively larger and my jaw dropped lower as an entity reluctantly emerged from the shadow. I think I had started crying before I even realized……. One donkey came out, trailed by six other donkeys. The lead one had Peter Pan’s clothes on, while the rest wore animal furs. The first donkey approached me with a very sad and sullen expression. “P-Peter………” My mouth stammered unconsciously. I collapsed onto my kneecaps with my arms dinging lifelessly at my sides. All I could do was stare at him…….. Stare at his donkey face. My vision was becoming blurry through the tears swelling up all throughout my eyes. No…….. No, this can’t be happening; it isn’t true. First I lost my father, then my oldest friend transforms into a donkey……… No. Please gods, no. Anything but this…… 

As if to be reading my mind, Peter trotted over so I could throw both my arms around his neck. I forgot myself, letting go of all mental constrains, and just let myself weep uncontrollably. The other girls and donkeys could only look on sadly as I cried my heart out clinging to my dear friend. I was crying so hard that I actually started to heave; not that I cared. I wanted to help Peter- I wanted to save my friend- and there was nothing I could. I don’t know for how long we stayed like that, but I remember crying with restraint for a while. This was a pain I hadn’t felt since the day Daddy disappeared into thin air…….. 

My emotions flipped on a dime, however…….. Everyone flinched and turned at another, much older voice joining the space. “There you are. Heard you lot got in.” That voice……. A voice I’d never heard before. And I didn’t have to hear it. My crying instantly stopped, and my eyes grew sharper than they ever had in my life. I retracted my arms from Peter and stood up straight. Wearing an emotionless expression, I spun around where I was standing to face the coachman. 

The coachman……. The man who terrorized my childhood. He was here; he was right here in front of me. I stared at him, giving myself over to a different emotion. I suddenly felt nothing but the purest, strongest anger- rage. It was an experience I’ve never had before; it was new……. and powerful. The air between us was so thick, you could slice it with a steak knife. While everyone on my end was appropriately alarmed and afraid, the coachman scoffed dismissively. 

“So the boat belongs to you, doesn’t it? What do you think you are doing here, stupid girl?” My hands balled into such tight fists, I wouldn’t be surprised if my fingers broke. I glared at the coachman with more hatred than I’d ever exulted before. “Change him back,” my voice was dangerously low and very, very threatening. The coachman blinked at me taken aback. “What? Who do you think you are? You trespass onto my island and dare to make demands of me?” “Change him back now,” I growled through my gritted teeth; I don’t think my jaw could have been more clenched. 

This bastard didn’t react right away, watching me and weighing his next words. Soon enough though, his gross, fat mouth opened again. “This boy a mate of yours, is he? Well, too bad; he’s mine now.” Oh that……. that was the wrong thing to say. My friends all gulped as my hair stood up on its ends. Peter himself looked apprehensive of what was coming next. I bared my teeth at him, breathing very heavily. 

“You don’t know me. Daughter of Hades, princess of the entire underworld- I am a demigod! I’m more powerful than anyone you’ve ever faced before! And I swear to god! If you don’t change Peter and the lost boys back, I was turn into a dragon and burn down this whole god forsaken place!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. 

Now this grabbed his undivided attention. The smug look on his face morphed into one of contemplation and hesitation. He thought to himself for a moment, shifting his hands at his sides. Then the monster met my stare again. “You……. You’re Maleficent’s kid, aren’t ya?” “You’re damn right I am. And I got a hella lot of Greek gods and goddesses on my side too,” I added fuel to the fire. The coachman considered to himself once more, his eyes rolling from side to side. He shuffled a bit uncomfortably, eventually huffing to himself. 

“Look, girl. Even if I wanted to turn him back, I couldn’t. All I can do is turn boys into donkeys; not donkeys into boys,” he finally admitted. It felt as if someone punched me right in the gut again. My jaw dropped open, but nothing came out. He can’t do it…….. He can’t turn Peter back. Seeing my resolve start to crumble, the coachman saw this as a good time to make his escape. He pointed my way before leaving. “This isn’t over, girl. I remember my enemies too.” With that, he went off into the darkness somewhere. Meanwhile, I stood there with my bottom lip shaking again. Peter’s a donkey……… He’s a donkey, and the coachman can’t change him back……. It was like something flipped inside my mind. No, he can’t remain this way. I have to save him; I have to…….. 

Jane flinched as I rapidly spun in her direction. “Jane! Can you use your mother’s wand to change Peter and the other boys back?!” My voice was full of sheer desperation. Jane gazed at me gloomily. “I’m sorry, Mal. I only know how to cast spells with it; not reserve spells cast by other people,” she admitted, and I was growing ever more frantic. My eyes moved back onto Peter and I literally thought over everything in my mind. It was in that hopeless instance that I remembered something. So to confirm, my hand slipped into my father’s coat pocket to feel for it. 

My eyes lit up when I found it there, waiting patiently for me. Hades’s Ember! That’s right; I’m a demi-god, so it won’t work fully for me. But…….. [“For you, it can reverse minor spells casted by other mortals.”] I pulled it out from my pocket, holding it in the palm of my hand. My lips parted a sliver. Could this……..? Could it really……..? The coachman is mortal, and I suppose the spell changing humans into animals could count as a minor spell. Only one way to find out. My feet shifted me around so I was facing Peter and the other boys now. I raised up my hand holding the ember and shut my eyes. Come on, ember; do this for me. Grant me what I desire- give me back my dear friend. 

Everyone held their breaths as a blue stream of magic abruptly shot from the stone. I didn’t see it, but I could sense something was happening. It grew in intensity by the second, becoming ever more forceful. By the time my arm couldn’t take it anymore, I opened my eyes to peer forward. Right in front of me was no longer a donkey, but a boy- an immortal boy in Peter Pan’s clothing. My jaw dropped slightly as my eyes grew. He gazed over himself astonished, then glanced back at me. “Mal……..” Peter uttered. “Peter……..” I also whispered bewildered. It worked……. It actually worked! Peter’s expression altered to one of amazement and joy. My arms were already outstretched for him when Peter ran into me. He wrapped his arms around me so sincerely, holding me as near to him as possible. The lost boys didn’t hesitate to join in, circling me in a communal hug. 

Our reunion was short-lived, though. As Peter and I were embracing, these black figures with glowing yellow eyes began to appear in the distance. They didn’t look like humans; their forms were sort of shapeless and undefined. It was terrifying to see them show up, however. It was evident that the coachman had sent them, and they were there for us. I’m guessing these shadow men are the ones who make individuals who upset the coachmen vanish in the night. All our heads shot to them as they begun to show up and grow ever closer. I clung to Peter scared.

“Run…….” My lips spat. Everyone blinked to me, but I didn’t take my eyes off the fearful entities. “Run! Get off the island! Go!” I yelled clearly terrified. That was all the prompting they needed. Peter swooped me up into his arms and started flying for the exit. Meanwhile the others ran as fast as they could through the doors. They all clambered onto the Argo, which left the dock as soon as the last kid jumped onboard. It carried them back to the unnamed island while Peter flew with me the whole way. 

We all arrived at around the same time. The boys had been waiting for us for some time now. They perked up upon spotting us in the distance, along with Tinker Bell. Wide-eyed, they simply watched as the boat docked and Peter arrived with me. Peter landed and set me down onto my feet, holding me until I was steady. Then, after a moment and without warning, he once again threw his arms around me; I was lifted up off the ground and spun around in the air. Peter was laughing when he finally stopped, gently pulling his head back so to look at me. We simultaneously closed our eyes as we pressed our foreheads together. Peter moved his hands so to hold both my cheeks in his palms. My hands lifted up to cover his. With both us smiling greatly, Peter let out a deep, relieved breath. “I knew you could do it.” 

Everyone was both stunned and excited to meet the famous Peter Pan and lost boys. I introduced Peter, who in turn introduced the lost boys. He told us all about how Honest John and the cat drugged and kidnapped them from Neverland; apparently those cads were going to go to the Isle of the Lost next. Peter then informed me that he and the others would be returning to Neverland and asked if I would like to join him. I thanked him for the offer but said I had other business to finish. 

Peter understood this, staying with me until he left that morning. Before he went, he gave me one last embrace. “Good luck with your journey, Mal,” he encouraged before retracting his arms. Harry came up to my side, wrapping his arm around my waist; I rested my head against him. Peter flashed him and me a smile. “But don’t worry too much. If anyone can rescue your parents, it’s you,” he told me. Then the corners of his smile deepened; his eyes shown down onto me. “And thank you, Mal, for everything……… Thank you.” We watched as he, the lost boys, and Tinker Bell all started off towards home. They merged into the millions of other stars into the sky. And I watched, contently standing there with my beloved’s arm safely around me. That’s how I overcame all fear of the coachman.


	22. The Madness In Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal has a familiar visitor.

“Oooh, man. Ah…… I tell ya, I’m just so proud of you, chick,” Dodger kept singing my praises from the bed. He was laying down on it as I was getting ready to have a nap. Despite it being morning already, I didn’t sleep a wink last night and was just so exhausted. We’d be arriving at Prydain tonight, so I wanted to at least be a little more alert when we got there. I had just finished brushing my hair and spun around to face Dodger. 

“Proud of me?” My eyebrow raised. “Course! You took on the infamous coachman- and survived! You’ve done what no one else has done before.” “Oh, I’m sure people have confronted him before.” Dodger considered to himself for a moment. “Well, I suppose so. The mob boss who used to harass Fagin- some asshole named Sykes- apparently got in with the coachman fourteen years ago or so. Heh, Sykes must have done something to piss him off because he disappeared not too long after.” “He disappeared?” I reiterated in a confused tone. Though I don’t know why that would confuse me; the coachman was well-known for making his enemies disappear. Dodger’s head nodded up and down. “Vanished without a trace on the Isle of the Lost. Him and some other guy he was working with. Haha, Fagin was over the moon when he heard,” he chuckled. I simply looked at the dog, unsure how to process the information I’d just discovered. 

A minute later, Dodger yawned and flashed me another impressed grin. “You don’t have to worry about that bastard anymore. I don’t think the coachman will cause you any trouble- not after you threatened to burn his precious, money-making island to the ground. And you know where Pleasure Island is now too. I still personally think you should have roasted him alive, though.” “I never said I’d incinerate him. Despite how much I hate him and what he’s done to all those little boys, I couldn’t kill him; not him or that pathetic Honest John and cat. Killing, even my enemies, goes against my beliefs.” Dodger yawned again nonchalantly. “Does that mean you won’t take down the Horned King given the chance?” 

This made me pause. I’d never thought about that before……. I already made the decision that we wouldn’t engage in a fight with him, but that’s more for the safety of my friends than anything. But if the choice came down to me……. What would I do? My lips pressed together firmly as my eyes narrowed. 

Oh, who am I kidding? I know what I’d do. I couldn’t kill him either. It dawned on me that like with the coachman, it doesn’t matter how individuals treat me or even those I love so dearly……. Killing for any reason just isn’t in my nature; it’s like it goes against the DNA of who I am. I sighed and gently shook my head. “No, I can’t and won’t. The goal is to get the Black Cauldron without confronting the Horned King. Think of it as a spy mission.” “Ha, with those “scouts”?” He referred to my friends onboard with us. I frowned, but Dodger wasn’t paying attention any longer. He hopped down to the floor and headed for the door. 

“Well, not that this isn’t interesting, chick, but I’m famished. Gonna go get myself some breakfast.” “Ok.” “Have a good sleep.” “Thanks, Dodger. Have a good breakfast,” and with that he was off. It’s just as well; I was pretty tired by now. But it would seem that the universe had other plans for me. And they came in singing.   
I sat up on the covers of my bed at the sound of someone- or something- suddenly singing all around me. Then, moments later, a wide, toothy grin appeared out of nowhere floating in the air. A purple stripped cat soon filled in the space around it. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes before blinking to him. 

“Cheshire Cat! You found me!” I gasped astonished. The Cheshire Cat hummed to himself, spinning without concern mid-air. “I didn’t know you were lost.” “I uh……. Well, I guess I’m not? I mean, I’m surprised you found me out here on the Argo.” “Oh, that was easy. I wanted to see you, and since I haven’t lost you, you weren’t hard to find.” “Uh……….? Ok, sure; why not?” I shrugged. There was no point in discussing it further. 

“So, did you find what you’ve lost?” He kept on spinning merrily. “What I’ve lost? Oh, you mean Daddy! Yes; yes, I know where he is now.” “And where is that?” “A kingdom called Prydain; somewhere I’ve never heard of before.” “Naturally, that’s cause Prydain’s never heard of you before.” “Well, that’s not true. The Horned King must have known about our parents in order to trap them inside the cauldron in the first place,” I retorted. The Cheshire Cat straightened up, throwing his paws up at his sides. “Your parents, perhaps. But you are not your parents.” “Not our parents? So……. does that mean that the Horned King doesn’t know about us kids?” Wait a minute……. "More like the less he knows about you, the better." Of course! Why didn’t I internalize it before? My eyes scrolled off into space enlightened. “He doesn’t know about us………” I thought out loud. 

The Cheshire Cat went back to singing, and when I looked at him again, he was quite literally standing on top of himself. “Can you stand on your head?” He inquired gaily. This cat……. I couldn’t help but smile. How some might think he’s a villain, I’ll never know. Mad, very; evil, no. Heh, you have to think to create evil schemes. I chuckled at my own internal joke, not that he’d be insulted for being accused of not thinking. 

“By the way, Cheshire Cat, what did you want to see me about?” “Hmmmm?” He picked up his floating head into his paws. “You said you wanted to see me.” “Do I need a reason to want to see you?” He begun twirling round once more. My grin widened, realizing his non-logic vein. “No, you don’t. If you wanted to see me for the sake of seeing me……..” I honestly felt a little flattered by this. But he paused like he just remembered something. 

“Actually, I brought you a present.” “A present?” My shoulders perked up surprised. He’s never given me anything before, which explains my shocked reaction. “That’s right- a present.” “But why?” “Because it’s your un-birthday today,” he replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Uh……. huh. Well, thank you! Erm, happy un-birthday to you too.” Seemingly pleased with that, the cat made his right paw disappear using his tail, and made it re-appear with the same flick of his tail. When I saw it again, it had a package wrapped up in a white handkerchief with red trim. It had a “W. R.” embroidered in one of the corners. I immediately knew it to be the White Rabbit’s handkerchief; he must have made the parcel up from the Cheshire Cat to bring to me. 

The mad cat watched me with half-hearted interest as I tugged it open. Inside was this little light pink box, and inside the box was a cake with the words “eat me” on it, and a bottle with “drink me” attached. My grin began to fade the longer I examined the two. “Um, Cheshire Cat…… Are these……. Are these what I think they are?” “Well, that depends on what you think they are,” he responded in turn. I lifted the cake up for a closer look. It looked tasty, all things considered; though I didn’t dare take a bite. 

“Now let me see if I can remember……. This one is an Eat Me Cake, which will make me grow. And this is a Drink Me Bottle, which will make me shrink.” “I knew you thought right,” he congratulated me. I blinked up to him very puzzled. “Why are you giving me these?” “Why not?” “Wh-…….? Because we’re not in Wonderland? Because I’m not from Wonderland?” I sputtered incredulously. Seriously, this cat sometimes. “So? That didn’t stop Alice from eating her share.” My mouth opened to counter this, but nothing came out. I guess that’s right……. My eyes rolled back down to the box in my lap. Then I reminded myself to smile. 

“Well, thank you, Cheshire Cat. It was a uh……. thoughtful gift,” I said, setting the box down on the bed beside me. “A very happy un-birthday to you,” even more merry spinning on his end. “Thank you. So…… if I eat some the cake, how big will I get?” The thought occurred to me that I might permanently mess with my real size if I play around too much. He stared up at the ceiling mindlessly. “As big as according to how much cake you eat. You can eat your cake and drink your drink. But if you eat all of it and drink all of it, it’ll be like eating and drinking nothing at all.” 

“Like nothing at all? Oh!” My fingers snapped together in realization. The Cheshire Cat waited for me to continue. “If I eat the whole cake and drink the whole bottle, they’ll cancel each other out. So, I’ll return to the same size I am now. Is that right?” “Is what right?” He shrugged with his paws. “Me staying my size,” I pressed. “I don’t know. Is your size the right size?” “Well, for me, it is anyway. But it’s nice to know that I can get back to it by keeping these in balance with each other,” that was a real comfort to me. Who knows? Knowing that, my little present might turn out to be useful in the future. Just thinking about it made me grin back at the happy, absent-minded animal. 

“You know, Cheshire Cat, I think I like you best too. You’re my favourite cat.” “I know,” he casually remarked. “You do?” My eyebrow lifted, but I was still smiling. “Course. You’d have to be simply mad to say something like that, and you are mad. You can’t help that.” “Oh yes! I forgot- according to you, I am mad,” I laughed. “You are mad, according to someone or no one. It makes no difference really.” “It doesn’t?” And he finally looked back at me with those crazy eyes of his. “No. People don’t become mad; madness becomes the person. And the madness decided that you and I should be similarly occupied.”


	23. Girl Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal and Evie have a little girl chat.

Day three. Our third day of sailing. Today was the day. We’d be arriving at Prydain today. We were all waiting on pins and needles, which admittedly got boring fast. To rectify the situation, some of the kids got into a stone-throwing competition. I didn’t participate, figuring I better keep watch for anything on the horizon just in case. But as I did that, I snuck a peak at the players every now and then. Or should I say, one specific player. 

It was Harry’s turn to toss his stone. He threw it as hard as he could, matching Ben who just went. He beat it by five feet or so. Then, with an elated, proud expression, he immediately checked over his shoulder to see if I had been watching. He saw me and smiled. Naturally I smiled back- a true, profound, enchanted smile. We were still looking at each other when someone else came up beside me. Evie glanced at me, then to where I was staring. 

Evie rested her elbows on the wood of the ledge alongside mine. She let out a long sigh, as if conjuring the words inside her head. “How are you feeling?” “Huh?” I blinked to her, not hearing her question the first time. Her eyes met mine. “How are you feeling right now, Mal? Are you scared?” “Oh……. Yeah, I guess,” I pondered, peering back to Harry; he had gotten back in his place in line. Evie waited a second before carrying on. “You sure aren’t acting like you’re scared,” my friend noted with some intent. I gazed back at her thoughtfully. “I am scared, but that doesn’t change anything.” “It doesn’t?” “No,” I shook my head. Evie considered this, peering out again then back my way. 

“Mal, can I ask you something?” “Shoot.” Hesitation on her part; I could hear her sucking air through her teeth. “W-Well, erm…….. I know this might not be the time or place for these sorts of questions, but I thought since you have some experience…….. H-How…….. how can you tell if you like someone?” Boy, was Evie ever blushing. My head shot to her astonished, which made her cheeks sizzle a darker shade of red. “Evie……. You…….. you like someone? Like someone here, on this boat?” “Shhhhhh! Not so loud!” She waved her hands embarrassed. My eyes grew wide. “Wait! Is it Doug?!” “No! Well, maybe……. I don’t know! But if I did, how……. how would I know, like for sure?” 

I looked at her for another minute, trying to construct a well-worthy reply. It suddenly came to me when I glanced back at Harry…….. I actually chuckled to myself. “You know something, Evie; I’m actually glad we’re talking about this. Something light-hearted for a change……..” “Mal,” her eyes widened in surprise. My grin also grew in its edges. “In my experience, you just……. know. It’s so gradual; sometimes you don’t even realize what’s happening. You go naturally from being friends, to best friends, and then to something else……..” My voice trailed off. “Is that what happened with you and Harry?” She prodded. I laughed; my fingers began to play with each other. 

“Well, kinda. Harry and I had sort of a rocky start. Heh, I had such a crush on him when we first met; I thought he was perfect, and he thought I was just some annoying little girl. As time went on though……. I’m not sure; things changed on their own accord. We got closer and……. it just sorta happened without our even trying.” Evie thought about this to herself momentarily before blinking back over to me. “But when did you know that Harry was the one? That you, you know, loved him?” She posed to me. “When did I know that I loved him? It honestly took a long time, but…….” I paused for a minute to gaze out into nowhere with my bottom lip hanging open slightly. 

“I think the first time I noticed was when we were ten or so. Harry was pushing me on this make-shift swing Daddy built for me. We weren’t…….. saying anything; he was just pushing me. And then, out of nowhere, he slowed the swing down and sat beside me. We still didn’t say anything, but we stared at each other. We stared for I don’t know how long……. And I thought…… But it’s almost impossible to describe. I knew right then and there that I would never look at anyone else like that again. Heh, and I was right. I suppose……. I knew Harry was the one because he was “the one”- the literal one. There could be no one else because I already had mine…….. Does that make sense?” I gazed back to Evie curiously. She was staring back at me with such an expression……. Her eyes lowered ever so gently. “Yeah, it does……. I wish someone would look at me like that someday.” “He will,” I remarked. Evie waited a few minutes before speaking again. I could feel her gaze on me once more……. 

“You didn’t hesitate.” “What?” I asked Evie. Her eyes just now……. “You didn’t hesitate to go and rescue Peter Pan. It’s the same when you wanted to save our parents. You didn’t even think about it……. Why? Why did you just go to Peter Pan like that?” All I could do was stare at her for a while, totally dumbfounded. Why? I’d never thought about the “why” behind those sorts of actions before. Probably because I already always knew. 

“Peter needed me, just like how Daddy needs me……. It’s weird. It doesn’t feel like a choice, and yet I know it’s my choice.” “What do you mean?” Evie inquired. My eyes rolled back in front of me now, looking over Harry and all our other friends. “My aunt Athena- Goddess of War and Wisdom……. She taught me about destiny and free will, and their inherent contradictions. I should believe in destiny; I’ve met the Fates, for crying out loud. And yet…… I still know that everything I choose to do and not do are a choice- my choice. No one forced me to go rescue Peter or even leave the Isle of the Lost; those were completely my decisions, and I have total responsibility over them. People are always acting in bad faith, trying to say why “this” or “that” wasn’t their fault or in their control. But the reality is that we do have control and responsibility for our choices. It’s a terrifying amount of freedom, when you think about it. That’s what my aunt Athena taught me anyway.” 

There was a break in the conversation for a moment. I finally grinned over at my dear friend, who was still listening to me closely. “Go or don’t go- I have equal responsibility for whatever choice I make. Even deciding not to choose is a choice. But it’s not so much that I’m afraid of the responsibility of making the wrong choice…….. It’s that I know if I do nothing, I’m choosing to do so. That falls on no one’s shoulders but mine……. and I refuse to let myself make that decision when I could have made another. I don’t want to be that kind of person. That’s why I went to save Peter Pan; that’s why I left the Isle of the Lost. I want to be that kind of person who makes those kinds of choices, because I am comfortable with the responsibility that comes with them.” 

Evie observed me quietly for a long, long time. Eventually her lips parted a sliver. “Mal……..” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s funny. I don’t think I’m anything special or good, despite what everyone says. There’s nothing inherently unique about me that sets me apart I believe…… A wise soul once told me: "Demigod or not, it makes no difference. You are nothing else but what you make of yourself, and freedom is not what you are but what you do with what's been done to you. You only set yourself apart from others by your actions”. Knowing that……. it just reminds me how important these choices are. And some I don’t have to think about much……. Like when I look at Peter, or Harry…….. or Daddy,” finishing up my sentence, I turned to Evie. She was still watching me wide-eyed. 

Neither of us said anything more; merely continued on looking at one another. But the peace didn’t last too long, however. Doug caught everyone’s attention when he pointed to something in the distance. “Hey, what was that shimmering just now?”


	24. Monstro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Argo faces new problems.

“I don’t see anything,” Ben, Jay, Lonnie, Gil, Uma, and Audrey all looked to where Doug was pointing at. “Right over there. I saw something massive shining on the surface of the water,” he explained to everyone. They all double checked, only to come up short. Ben spun to face his determined friend. “There’s nothing there, Doug.” “What do you mean “nothing”? I saw something! Something long and……. I don’t know to describe it! Shiny, I guess!” Poor Doug tossed his hands into the air. Audrey shrugged dismissively. “Well, whatever it was, it’s gone now.” Oh, how I wish. 

We sailed on for another hour without incident. Finally, just after sunset a feature came into view not too far ahead. Jane pointed to it excitedly. “Look! Look, land! We’re there! We’re there, guys!” There was indeed land ahead of us! Only……. Evie and Jay worriedly looked at each other while the rest of us were gawking at the structure in front of us. My mouth dropped open a little. Oh……. Oh no, this isn’t good. Audrey whirled around to give me the sharpest glare. 

“Oh, great! How are we supposed to get passed that?!” She was referring to the large, and more importantly, tall rock formation seemingly circling the island. It literally looked like the red stone wall was protecting the land of Prydain inside, which I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. It could have been erected by the Horned King to guard his kingdom for all we know. But the biggest issue was that there was no way for the Argo to sail through it. No gates, no holes; not even a ridge or a crane. Just a big, massive, red-stone wall blocking our vision from going any further. 

Jane looked to me. “What are we going to do, Mal? How are we going to get to Prydain now?” “W-We’ll think of something,” I tried- in vain- to sound confident. Audrey tisked. “Yeah right. See, this is what comes from following advice from “gods”. I bet they didn’t warn you about this!” “It’s ok. We’ll figure this out,” I reiterated. But she just shook her head. “Really? Are you blind?! We’re facing a stone wall! You can’t just “will it away”,” she twirled her hands for emphasis. “I think Audrey has a point, Mal. There was literally no foreshadowing of this. How would we have known? There’s no maps of Prydain; and certainly none with any walls around it,” Doug added his two-cents. 

I drew in a deep breath before addressing everyone again. “You’re right; this was unforeseen. But we can’t stop here; not when we’re so close.” “Oh, really? Then what are you gonna do about it? Pray, tell us,” Audrey’s arms folded in a smug fashion. Having enough of her attitude towards me, Harry came up beside me, placing his hand on my back and shooting her a glare. “Watch it,” he warned her in that temperamental voice of his. This made her back off- slightly. 

I thought for a moment, letting my eyes roll every which way. “What if…… I turned into a dragon and burned a hole through the wall?” “Forget it. Even if the temperature of your flames was above average, it would still take days to burn through that stone; never mind creating a hole big enough for the Argo to sail through,” Doug immediately shot down my suggestion. “We could try magic,” Jane offered. Ben shook his head this time. “I don’t think it’ll work. We only know spells to create; not break through anything.” “Oh, right,” Jane’s gaze scrolled downward. During the time we were all discussing this, Jay glanced back out at the horizon in the opposite direction of the wall. His eyes narrowed, as if to get a better look, then instantly widened horrified. “Uh, guys? We have a bigger problem!” 

All our heads turned to where Jay’s finger was aimed. It took a second to realize what was happening, but it soon became apparent. My heart couldn’t have sped up faster; instead of crying, my eyes grew so dry with terror- everyone’s did. It was faint and very far away, but you could see a bolder-like figure barrelling straight at us in the water. You didn’t have to be an idiot to know what it was either; we all knew immediately. Jane actually let out a screech. “M-M-Monstro!” 

And just like that everybody, and I do mean everybody, began screaming. “It’s Monstro!” “It’s headed straight for us!” “We’re all gonna die!” “Don’t Panic!” I was the only one imploring everyone to say calm. Once again, Audrey gave me the most vicious glare. “This is a perfect time to panic! That thing is going to crash right into the boat!” She didn’t bother holding back any of her hatred for me anymore. “The Horned King must have it guarding Prydain’s waters,” Lonnie gasped. “We’re gonna drown!” Someone- a male voice, though I didn’t see who- tacked on hysterically. Gil looked to a shell-shocked Uma with nothing but pure desperation. “Can’t you do something?! You’re part sea-creature!” “Are you kidding?! Not even my mom take on Monstro!” Uma fired back. As I listened to all of them, my mind raced through a million thoughts. It only stopped on one when I remembered the Cheshire Cat’s gift to me in my room. 

I remember my mind going blank for the next occurrence. I didn’t have time to take one last look at Harry. All I know is that my feet were suddenly zooming to my bedroom. I dashed inside and snatched up the box. First I took the Drink Me Bottle and put it in my pocket; one that could zip up just in case. Then without thinking, I stuffed the whole Eat Me Cake into my mouth. It tasted like vanilla with vanilla buttercream, but I didn’t savour it. I swallowed and realized that I had likely three seconds to get the hell off the ship. No one was watching when I ran out of my room and towards the edge as fast as my feet could carry me. Only Dodger noticed me dive off the wood of the boat. “Mal!” He cried, but it was too late. By the time the others were looking, the water over side the Argo began to bubble. 

Growing a mile high was a fascinating experience; mainly because if I didn’t know what was happening, I would have thought nothing was happening. It felt like nothing; it didn’t feel like I was getting pulled or stretched at all. All I know is that one moment I was in the saltwater, and the next, my top half was in the air again as I stood up. I did make the mistake however, of opening my eyes before I had stopped growing. That caused me to be a little motion sick. By the time I was exactly a mile high- at least I think that’s as tall as I was- I was towering over everything. The sea was like a shallow pool to me now, coming up to just above my ankles. I couldn’t see the exact looks on my friends faces, but I could tell they were in a state of shock by how quiet they’d suddenly become. It didn’t help that I hadn’t told anyone about the growing cake or shrinking drink either. 

My first few seconds of being this new height were spent with me trying to steady myself; I was still a tad motion sick. Then I quickly checked to see where Monstro had gotten to. The beast was also shocked, frozen mid-swim not too far from me. Good, he’s still back there. With that, I looked back forward and bent down to lift up the Argo in both hands. No one uttered a peep as I carefully raised it over the stone wall, placing it securely on the other side. I could now see Prydain’s beachside too; it wasn’t that far away from where I put the boat. Or at least it looked that way to me with my new gigantic eyeballs. 

It didn’t stay calm for too long though. The moment I set the Argo down onto the water, something smashed into the back of my right leg- hard. I winced, baring my teeth for a second and bending my now sore knees. Monstro had gotten over his initial surprise and was ready to start attacking me; even in this giant stay. I glanced over my shoulder to see him swimming back a way. He was going to charge me, attempting to take a bite this time. Heh, despite being so very tall now, I was still afraid of that whale. 

I pulled out the now tiny bottle from my pocket; thank god my clothes altered their size with me. It took a moment to tug out the cork, but the second I did, I drank the full bottle, which was more like a drop to me now. But it did its job. Immediately after finishing, I planted my hand on the wall and catapulted myself over it. I tried to land as close as I could to the Argo, but unfortunately my measurement was off. While falling free-style through the air, I shrank back to my original size; only becoming truly back to normal once I hit the surface. My feet touched the water first, followed by the rest of me. I fell into the sea…….. over fifty feet away from the Argo. 

Landing wasn’t pleasant either. My previously huge size meant that I had picked up a considerable amount of speed. I was falling pretty fast when I eventually reached the sea. It didn’t physically hurt- not right away anyway- but it definitely rattled me. I think my body went numb at some point during the fall. But it was such a hard impact that it succeeded in knocking me cold out; a deadly scenario for any air-breathing mortal. My body went from falling through the air to sinking in the saltwater; all of my limbs and hair were trailing above me. My eyes were very narrow slits before I passed out. The last thing I remember was this blurry little, round, blue and yellow fish swimming above me. Then everything went entirely black.


	25. Finally In Prydain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal wakes up on the shores of Prydain.

“Is she dead?” Nugh. “It’s hard to say.” Nugh, my head…….. “But she’s breathing, isn’t she?” The first thing my brain registered upon reawakening was the sound of strange voices. They were all male. My eyes fluttered open, revealing the dark sky to me. It quickly became apparent that I was laying on my back in what felt like sand. With an audible groan, I began to shift around without purpose or direction. The attention of all present was swiftly back on me. 

“See?! I told you she wasn’t dead,” the little blue and yellow fish I saw cheered. My eyes shut again as I grasped my forehead; everything still was kind of dizzy. “I knew that,” the seagull replied. Those voices……. My eyes slowly reopened to find three sea creatures gathered around me. Flounder was still in the shallow water near where my body had been dragged. Meanwhile Scuttle and Sebastian were up on the beach by my side. I looked at all of them, blinking incredulously. 

“W-Where am I?” I asked, holding my head again; it hurt to talk. “How are you feeling?” Flounder questioned me back, completely ignoring my query. How was I feeling? Well for one thing, my body felt all out of sorts. And I had no idea how long I’d been passed out for. I could see the sun high in the sky, despite the sky being quite dark in itself here…….. for some reason. Wait, the sun was out……..? That means that it’s morning! I was passed out all night?! This sent a sliver down my spine, and I wasn’t the only ones by the sound of it. 

“How is she doing? How is she doing?! Just look at her! She almost drowned last night! And doing what? Going on some crazy expedition to find her father!” Boy, was Sebastian upset. “A-Am I in Prydain?” I tried speaking again. “You certainly are, young lady. And let me be the first to tell you: you have no business in a place like this!” You can guess who said that. Luckily Scuttle came to my defence. 

“Ah, lighten up. She’s here now, ain’t she?” “Are you crazy? Wha-…… No, wait; let me rephrase. You are crazy! She’s in the same kingdom as the Horned King, you idiot!” “But she came to find her father and the other adults. We’ll even get king Triton and the rest of the mer-people back! We’ll get Ariel back………” Flounder ejected with some hope. “But at what cost? What do you think the king is going to say if anything happens to his cousin?” The crustacean countered. I rubbed my eyes so to give Sebastian an understanding gaze. “His father, Poseidon, gave me the Argo to use,” I explained. “That doesn’t mean king Triton would want you waltzing about somewhere as dangerous as Prydain!” “But he’s gone too, and so are his daughters. I think he has a vested interest in my being here as well.” 

Sebastian’s mouth shot open to rebuttal my point, but nothing immediately came out. I took the opportunity to turn to the other two animals there with me. “How’d you even find me? We’re a far way off from Atlantica I’d think.” “Now there’s a story! I tell ya, it was something,” Scuttle began, and I realized that this wouldn’t be quick. He was about to deliver me a lengthy tale, and while I didn’t believe I had much time to spare, I decided to be polite and let him go on. The seagull cleared his throat, whacking his chest a couple of times. 

“You see, I got tired hanging around Ariel’s palace and all the fish back in Atlantica were wondering where the mer-people went, so I flew to Auradon to see if I could find anybody. Well, there was no one there either, ‘cept for these two kids. But around the time I got there, there was this parade of animals marching in. They were from something called a circus? They were being led by this flying elephant and mouse wearing a red suit. A flying elephant! Can you believe that? Anyway, they were shocked by the lack of people at the castle. This one lady elephant complained that two “unqualified kids” were a horrible reception and she needed more people to tend to her and her pachyderm pals.” I didn’t say anything, waiting patiently for Scuttle for continue. But I sure felt bad for Carlos and Dizzie who had to take care of those bitter older elephants now. 

“The boy taking care of the dogs told the circus folk what was going on and where you were headed. The noisy lady elephant demanded that someone bring this “Mal wretch” back so she could give her “what for”- whatever that means. I heard you’d were going to Prydain but had no idea where it was, so I flew to the jungle to see the other animals. But when I got there, this panther named Bagheera and wolf named Akela asked how you were doing and if you got to Prydain alright.” Another pause in the explanation. 

“So my new mission was finding you and reporting back to the other animals in Auradon…….. Kinda forgot about the circus elephants when I think about it. Oh well! Every bird that could fly volunteered to search for the Argo and Prydain; we needed a lot of birds since we didn’t know where it was. I’m serious! There was Orville, these four vultures with interesting accents, Boomer and Dinky, Archimedes; even Dumbo and these three weird stone gargoyles from Paris. Apparently they can fly really high! We all went off in different directions, and these two joined my search after I told them what’s up,” Scuttle stuck his feather thumb out at Flounder and Sebastian. All I could do was stare at them dumbfounded. That was……. quite a story. 

My mouth sputtered open for a moment. “So…….. you came to find me, so to report back to the animals on Auradon about my welfare?” Scuttle nodded happily. This caused me to blink into nowhere thoughtfully. They were still concerned for me…….. That warmed my heart a little. Then something came to me. 

“We’re in Prydain……. We actually made it to Prydain…….” “Isn’t that where you were headed?” Flounder sounded confused. I looked at him, realizing how might have came off. “It is! Only……. Do you happen to know where the Argo sailed off to once it was on this side of the wall?” “You mean the ship? Sorry, lost track of it,” Scuttle shrugged. Oh…….. My eyes trailed downwards. I…… wasn’t sure if that was a good thing yet or not. After all, if I could face the Horned King alone, I’d feel better knowing only one person could die in that scenario. But I didn’t have time to think about that for long. Sebastian crawled over to me sternly. 

“Now you listen to me, young lady. We’re going to find the Argo and get you back on it. Then you’re going to sail home.” My gaze shown down upon him. “I can’t do that.” “Yes, you can. You shouldn’t risk your life like this, Mal. You’re too young……..” Sebastian……. Growing ever fonder of this crab, I scooped him up into my hands. “I appreciate your concern for me, Sebastian; I really do. But this is something I need to do. It’s not about me- it’s never been about me. It’s about Daddy and the rest of the adults. I want my father back, just like I’m sure you want my cousins back.” Sebastian hesitated for a moment, still acting rather reluctant. A smile crept across my face as I lifted him up to my face; I brushed the side of his little head against mine. 

“You’re a good crab, Sebastian. I can see why Triton trusted you to watch Ariel. I’ll be alright, and even if I’m not……. I will be. We all know what it’s like to miss people who are precious to us. I promise I’ll get Triton and the other mer-people back. Heh, I’ll even tell him that you tried to stop me if it’ll make things easier for you. Trust me; I’m on your side.” “And we’re on your side,” Flounder said, grinning kindly at me. With a kiss to Sebastian’s cheek, I gently set him down and stood up. It took a full minute to brush all the sand off my clothes, skin, and hair. They all watched me as I did so. 

“Alright, I’m going further into the kingdom. I’ve got to find the Horned King’s castle…….. somehow. You three go back to Auradon and tell everyone that I made it here in one piece……. Hey, wait. How did you get through the wall surrounding the coast?” “There’s small holes underneath it in the water,” Flounder elucidated. “Not big enough for any whales to get through,” I was worried for a second. They shook their heads. “No, just small fishes.” “Well that’s good……. and oddly convenient. But never mind! I’ve gotta get going,” I spun to face this dreary place. Before going though, I flashed them a smile. “Thanks for saving me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” “And we’re not done yet!” Flounder now shouted. “Huh?” My eyebrow raised up puzzled. 

“Scuttle, you take her further into the kingdom,” Sebastian commanded the hyper seagull. “Uh, no, that’s……..” I was cut off by Sebastian’s continuation. “Take Mal to those people you met earlier.” This definitely caught my attention. “People? Wait, there are people here? Are they close by?” “Sure are! Though they aren’t like any humans I’d ever seen before,” Scuttle informed me. My eyebrow lifted a second time. “Why?” “Well they’re kinda tiny and they fly a lot.” Fly? What does he mean by “fly”? The dwarves that Snow White met were small, but they certainly couldn’t fly. More than that, were they friendly? How would they react to meeting an outsider like me? And most important of all, did they know the direction of the Horned King’s castle?


	26. Underground With The Fair Folk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scuttle takes Mal to meet some interesting individuals.

Scuttle talked and talked the whole walk. Prydain turned out to be an ascetic expansion of the first island we arrived to. There was some greenery but the whole tone of the place was bleak, to say the least. It felt like a dark, ominous cloud hung over you wherever you went, never truly being able to escape it. Prydain was eerie, not to put too fine a term on it. Not that my feathery companion noticed. He kept on chattering the further we went in-land. 

“And then I said “that’s not a dingle-hopper; it’s a whose-a-whatzit!”.” I hadn’t the faintest idea what he was talking about. I mean, who’s ever heard of a dingle-hopper before? “Is it much further, Scuttle?” “What? The whose-a-whatzit?” “No. The people we’re going to see.” “Oh! Not much. Actually, they’re just down there,” you can’t imagine my surprise when he pointed into a pool of water. 

“Uh, Scuttle? That’s a puddle,” I remarked tacitly. “Yeah; it’s the funniest thing. I was standing on this rock earlier and it just sunk down into the water. There was this big whirlpool and everything!” “And……. the people are down there?” My eyebrow rose. He nodded excitedly. “Well……..” Gazing down, I didn’t see any other option. “Come on, then,” I motioned for Scuttle to fly down so I could take him in my arms. Once he was securely pressed against me, we both took a deep breath and jumped in. 

Just like Scuttle had said, the water began swirling all around us. Luckily it didn’t last long enough for either of us to drown. I felt myself being flung downwards, if you can believe that. Within the blink of an eye, we were underground, with the water pool now resting on the ceiling. I’d never seen anything like it; floating water without anything holding it up in place. Very peculiar. I let Scuttle go and straightened out my clothes. He brushed his feathers off and gave me his typical funny grin. “See? What’d I tell ya? A swirling whirlpool.” “Where are we?” 

“Um, that would be the land of King Eldilleg.” We spun around, only to find these small, fairy-like critters coming out of hiding with caution. The one who spoke was an older fairy man whom I’m assuming was King Eldilleg. From the moment I saw them, my jaw dropped. “F-Fairies…….. You’re fairies,” I yammered. “Uh, fair folk, to be precise, my dear,” this adorable tiny man corrected me. “Fair folk?” My eyebrow raised. Never heard of anything called “fair folk” before. By now, more of these so-called fair folk were popping out from their concealment. These four little kids were the ones who flew the closest. 

“Look! Scuttle’s back! And he’s brought someone,” another male announced. “What is it?” Yet another boy asked while he inspected me over. “Well, it’s ah, ah…… it’s a girl!” King Eldilleg declared with some authority. This cute blonde-haired little girl in a pink dress flew up to me. Her hands were twiddling behind her back shyly. “Are you a princess?” You can’t imagine how sweet her voice was. I looked at her, not quite sure how to reply. “I guess you could say that,” was finally my response with a slight shrug. “A princess! Oh my; I say!” King Eldilleg gasped. 

“What the-……?! How the blazes did he get back in here?!” We flinched at the sound of this angry man suddenly flying onto the scene. He was also older, like the king, and wore all yellow; his beard was rather unkempt. “Oh dear. Uh, this is my chief lieutenant, Doli. I thought you were going to fix the whirlpool,” the king whispered over to him not-so-quietly after our introduction. “I did fix it; I did fix it! But he obviously broke it again!” An incensed Doli pointed at Scuttle. “Oh, nonsense. Now, how might we uh, be of service?” King Eldilleg then inquired to us. I couldn’t help but smile at him; what a kind soul. So willing to help. 

“I actually have a question about the castle,” I began. His grin immediately vanished. “Oh, is the uh, uh burning and killing still going on up there?” The king motioned up towards the ceiling. My blinked, not exactly sure what he was referring to. “You mean the war? No, it’s supposed to have ended; or so I’ve heard. I just got to Prydain, you see.” Doli saw his chance. “A stranger, eh? Well why don’t you just go back to where you came from?!” “I….. I will, but first I need to find something; which brings me back to my question. Do you know where the Horned King’s castle is?” 

All the fair folk let out a gasp and zoomed back to their hiding places; only the king and Doli stayed behind. And they looked just as scared as the rest of them. “T-The Horned King’s castle? My dear, why would you ever want to go to a place like that?” King Eldilleg stammered. “I’m looking for something: the black cauldron.” “The black cauldron, you say. Well, I uh…… I can’t say I know much about that. But I know someone who does.” “You do?” My eyes widened. “Yes- the three witches of Morva. They were the ones originally who hid the cauldron in the marsh, you know.” 

“Wait, wait, wait. So these witches were the original keepers of the black cauldron?” I asked. “As far as I know. Isn’t that right, Doli?” “Don’t drag me into this! You send her to Morva and those fiendish sisters will have a time with her,” Doli crossed his arms. “Don’t listen to him,” King Eldilleg waved him off. My finger ran under my chin in a thoughtful manner. Something wasn’t adding up here. 

“But……. the Horned King has the cauldron now. How did he get it from the witches?” “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask them,” the king shrugged. I glanced back to him intently. “How do I get to Morva?” “Oh, my dear; Morva is a hard place to get to. You shouldn’t go there alone.” “Yep,” Doli agreed, making the king look at him. His face lit up with inspiration. “You uh, can take her.” “What?! Me, babysit this….. this princess?! Look at her; she won’t last five seconds above ground,” Doli angrily retorted. “Pish posh! She’ll be perfectly fine. Now, Doli; please take the princess to see the witches in Morva. I’ll sure they’ll be of some help to her.” Doli muttered something harsh under his breath but didn’t object this time. He did keep shooting me glares, mind you. 

I turned to Scuttle, letting him rest on my forearm. “Now, Scuttle; I need you to listen to me very carefully.” “You bet ya!” He saluted “I need you to fly back to Auradon and let everyone know that I made it here safely. Please be sure to tell Carlos, Bagheera, and Akela. Can you do that for me?” “Course! You’re lookin’ at this sea’s best flyer! I’ll be there in no time!” I sure hope he’s right, I grinned to myself. At least we both had a direction to go in now.


	27. A Test Of Worthiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal meets the three witches, who first tell her about the black cauldron and then give her a very special test.

(Author’s Note: They don’t mention the name of Prydain’s first king in the movie, so for context he was King Rhydderch Hael. He was the one who threw the Horned King’s evil predecessor into the black cauldron alive (his face is the one on the cauldron in the movie). His sword, Dyrnwyn, is one of the thirteen treasures of the Island of Britain; that’s the sword Taran found in the tomb. Legend has it that King Rhydderch Hael- nicknamed “The Generous”- would let anyone use his sword, but the sword would reject all who were unworthy. This is crucial information for this story later. Hope you’re still enjoying it!) 

Doli guided me to the marshes, muttering to himself the whole way. I honestly didn’t blame him for not wanting to come here; the place was absolutely dismal. Dead forestry and moulding logs everywhere. Heh, would have reminded me of home if I was that cynical. 

“Well, here you are: the marches of Morva,” Doli spat with attitude. “Where are the witches?” I hadn’t seen a living soul since we left the land of the fair folk. “You knucklehead! Can’t you see what’s right in front of you?” “What do you mean? I don’t see any-……..” The words vanished from my lips when I caught sight of this terrifying wooden hut not too far in front of me. What an awful-looking shack. Skulls of various kinds were propped up by wooden sticks; there was a strange symbol painted on the door; the place looked deserted. 

“Doli, are you sure that’s where they live?” I inquired very, very nervously. “Well who else do you think gonna live there?” He countered sharply. I hesitantly approached the front door; my first instinct was to knock. My hand gently tapped on the door a few times; I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do more. There was this sudden and very frightening cackling from the inside, making me stumble back a little. The door swung open, though there was no one on the other side to open it. Doli and I looked at each other before I made myself step forward. 

“H-Hello, is anyone there?” Even more sinister cackling erupted all around me. We saw tons of little eyes, all spying on us from the shadows. Aside from them, which all seemed too small to be human-sized eyes, there was no one else in sight- at first. The cackling continued, growing louder and louder until three figures began to materialize. Doli let out a shriek and disappeared into thin air. My eyes went from his abrupt absence to the now three bluish green-skinned women encircling me. The skinny one with gangly hair spoke first, twisting and twirling her fingers together in a delighted fashion. 

“Well, well, what have we here?” ‘Why, it’s a little girl,” the short, lanky one exclaimed. The big, nice-looking one gave me a once over. “Mmmmm, and what a pretty girl. She must be a princess!” “Oh, come off it. Not every pretty girl is a princess, Orwen,” the tall one brushed her off with a wave of the hand. “I bet she is,” the big one- I guess her name was Orwen- hummed wistfully. 

“I-I’ve come to ask about the black cauldron!” I managed to stammer out; it felt safer to ask sooner than later. “You think we owe you any answers, you impertinent girl?” The tall one hissed. “N-No, of course not! I just thought…….” “We should turn her into a frog and eat her; she looks like she’ll make a tasty meal,” the short one suggested. While a look of horror rolled over my face, Orwen countered this. “She’s too pretty to turn into an amphibian. Let’s turn her into a flower instead and keep her by the windowsill.” “Bah! I’m not going to let you ruin a good dinner because of your sentimentalities,” the short one retorted. “But what if she is a princess? You can’t eat royalty.” “Says who?” Oh my god, this is getting nowhere, and I don’t have time for this. While I was still scared out of my wits, the realization that time was of the essence kicked my mouth into gear. 

“Please! I need your help! I need to know where the Horned King’s castle is and how to get my father out of the black cauldron!” I pleaded, clasping both my hands together. They all blinked to me with surprise. “You’re father? What does he have to do with the black cauldron?” “Yeah. The black cauldron is with the Horned King now,” the short one added. “I know! That’s why I need to find his castle.” The three weird sisters glanced ponderingly at each other. 

“You’re not from around here, are you?” The tall one questioned me. I shook my head. “No. I’ve never been to Prydain before.” “Then how do you know about the black cauldron?” Orwen inquired. “The Horned King used it to imprison all adults off of Prydain…….. Wait, how come he didn’t capture you? Was it only adults outside the island?” “Course! No one disappeared here. Why would the Horned King capture his own subjects? He must have wanted your parents for his army,” the tall one explained. “And you three……. know about the black cauldron’s magic?” I asked. That’s when the short one gave me a knowing grin. “Who do you think gave the Horned King the cauldron?” She said, making my jaw drop somewhat. Her sisters began to laugh again. 

“You know, I like this one; she’s got guts.” “Much better than that boy and girl with pig,” Orwen tacked on. “So you’ve come to Prydain to save your father from the Horned King?” The tall one asked, crossing her arms. “Yes; him and all the other adults,” I nodded. “And is it your own choice, duckling?” I nodded again, then sucked in my lips. “It is, but I have no idea how to get them out of the cauldron once I find it. That’s what I wanted to ask you about.” 

The three witches glanced to one another once more. Then all sets of eyes- and not just theirs- were back onto me. “Well, you can’t just reach in and pull your daddy out,” the short one waggled her finger. “No, it’s a magic cauldron. Once something’s inside, it can never come out,” Orwen illuminated. “Not unless an appropriate sacrifice is made,” the tall one told me. “Sacrifice?” My eyebrow raised. They nodded in unison. Then the tall one turned so to face me head on. 

“Now listen closely. The black cauldron can never be destroyed. Only it’s evil powers can be stopped. The evil of cauldron is what keeps the adults trapped inside. In order to release them, you must make a sacrifice and stop the cauldron’s evil magic.” “What kind of sacrifice?” I asked. She hesitated for a moment before going on. “A living being must climb into it of her own free will. However, whom so ever climbs into the cauldron will die, never to come out alive.” Climb into the cauldron……. My eyes wandered out into space for a moment as I considered this new information. My lips parted a bit. “If I……. jumped into the cauldron, would that bring all the adults back?” “That would suffice, yes. But remember, duckling; once you jump into the cauldron, your body will be ripped to shreds by the darkness that lay within, and you will cease to exist on earth.” I thought for another moment, then stood up and brushed myself off. I grinned at them for the first time. 

“Thank you, ladies. I know what I have to do now,” I was about to head for the door when…… “Now hold on, there may be some help for you in your journey yet,” the short one stopped me. “Help?” My head spun back to them. They nodded, a bit lighter this time. “First we must see if you are worthy,” the tall one then proclaimed. “Worthy? But you never said the person who jumped into the cauldron had to be “worthy”.” “Oh, we’re not talking about that.” “You’re not? Then what are you…….?” My question was cut short by the big sister suddenly blowing dust on me; it literally came out of nowhere on the palm of her hand. I started to cough and didn’t stop for a full minute or so. My eyes winced shut so to avoid any dust flying into them. I closed my eyes, and the world around me suddenly grew foggy and tired. I don’t know when I fell unconscious, but I did at some point. I know this because the next time I opened my eyes, I was no longer in Prydain. 

“Wake up! Wake up, I say!” That voice……. I knew that voice from somewhere, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. “Nugh, my head,” I groaned, lifting my hand up to my forehead. I felt bad but not as bad as the time I almost drowned in the sea. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw this small, little, brown old perched over me. He was watching me with worry and intent. This made my eyes widen severely. 

“Archimedes, it’s you!” “And I should think this is the last place I’d find you. I thought you were going to look for your father,” he folded his feathered wings. “Where are we?” I sat up a bit. I found myself laying in a bank of snow on a street……. somewhere I’ve never been before. I’d never seen anything like it; I couldn’t even think up a place like this. Tall houses and building made of painted wood and stone. Brightly coloured tents and banners; horse stables; a jousting ring. It was like falling into a literal storybook. I suppose I should have known where I was, but my mind was drawing a blank. It also didn’t occur to me that this was my first experience with snow. My body felt cold, but I didn’t pay that any mind. 

Archimedes stayed close to me, obviously worried about my welfare and mental state. “We’re in London in the Dark Ages,” he informed me. “London?! Dark Ages?!” I blinked to him gobsmacked. Why……. why would those witches send me here- of all places and times? I literally had no connection to this country or time period whatsoever. The Greek side of my family stems back much further than this. My lips just kept spattering uncontrollably. I mean, I tried so hard to get to Prydain, and now I have no idea where or when I even am. I think I was in a state of shock more than anything, which explains why I hadn’t started crying yet. 

Despite being in the alleged Dark Ages, there was no one around in London either. I guess this proves that the black cauldron’s magic can go travel across time and space, all things considered. After some time trying to register my new location in my brain, I got to my feet and brushed the snow off my clothes. Archimedes watched me the whole time. 

“W-Why am I here? I-I don’t……. I don’t understand……..” “This was the day of the tournament.” “What tournament?” I asked the flustered owl. “The New Year’s Day tournament; the one to decide the next king of England,” Archimedes said. “They’re deciding their next future king by a jousting tournament?” And here I thought the Greeks had some odd traditions. Archimedes raised his wing a bit. “Think, girl, think. Why would we both just appear here like that? There must be a reason.” “You know this city, Archimedes. Why do you think we’re here? I don’t know anything about London or the Dark Ages!” My hand planted on my chest. 

But for the first time Archimedes wasn’t looking at me; he was looking into this abandoned churchyard. “That’s bizarre,” he gasped. “What?” “The sword, it’s back in the stone,” he pointed to something. I looked to see this sword stuck in a stone in the middle of the yard. “What about it?” I then blinked back to the owl confused. “Well Arthur pulled it out. That’s what made him king.” “Oh…… So then why is it back in the stone? Who’s sword was that anyway?” “I can’t remember his name, but he was referred to as “the generous”. He was a good and noble king, apparently.” “Huh,” I had no desire to approach or touch the sword; my mind was still focused on how the heck do I get myself outta here. 

“Think, girl. You must know some reason why we’re both here.” “I don’t know! The only thing I can think of is…….. Wait,” I paused briefly as I recalled the witches last words to me. My lips clambered a little. “Those witches…….” “Who?” Archimedes questioned. “The witches back in Morva; they wanted to test if I was “worthy” or not.” “Worthy of what?” “I….. don’t know? Help with getting my father back……. But how are they supposed to test that here of all places? What does London have to do with anything?” 

Archimedes considered this seriously. “I haven’t the faintest. The only test of worth I know around here is………” His beak halted as if he wanted to catch himself. I looked at him curiously; he clearly was about to say something. “Is what, Archimedes?” “Well, erm…….” and his eyes trailed back to the sword resting in the stone. My eyes lowered unimpressed. 

“The sword?” “It’s the only one I can think of. It’s supposed to determine the worthiness of one who is fit to be king of England.” “But I don’t want to be king of England; I just want to get back to Prydain and find the black cauldron. Argh! I don’t get any of this! We’re just wasting time!” I threw my arms up into the air. The owl thought to himself again for a moment. He looked at me with his large yellow and black eyes. 

“Why don’t you give it a try?” “Try what?” “Pulling the sword from the stone.” “What’ll that prove? I don’t want a sword; I have no need for a sword.” “It’s not about whether you need it. It’s about whether you can wield it or not- only the worthiest can wield the sword of the late king.” My fingers scratched my head as I gazed back at the blade. None of this still made any sense to me. “I still don’t see why me pulling a sword out of a stone- if I can at all- means anything. Arthur’s meant to pull the sword; not me.” “Just give it a try. You’re supposed to perform a test, right?” I thought it over for a minute, not entirely convinced. “Where did Arthur put the sword after he pulled it out from the stone?” “In the old king’s tomb, though he wasn’t buried here in England. He went somewhere else to fight another king before he died, I think.” “I see……..” It didn’t strike me at the time that Archimedes might be talking about Prydain. 

As I approached the sword, I mulled over how stupid and what a time waste this all was. I couldn’t see any sense in my doing this. Like he was reading my mind, Archimedes flew over to perch himself on my shoulder as I walked into the churchyard. “Think of it this way. If I’m wrong, you’ll only be wasting a few minutes of your time. What have you got to lose?” I suppose he’s right, but this was the test to crown the next king of England- not prove someone’s worthiness to some witches elsewhere. 

Archimedes then went to sit on a branch very close by and I stepped up to the sword. It was a pretty fancy sword, and sharp too- despite sitting in a rock for who knows how long. On one side read an inscription about “who shallth pullth this sword……” and what not; on the other side was a name. “Dyrnwyn,” I read it out loud to myself. Never heard of it before. Arthur never divulged the name of his sword. The owl watched with anticipation as my right hand lifted up out in front of me. Well, here goes nothing. 

I’ll be honest; I wasn’t expecting anything to happen- not a single thing. But from the moment the tips of my fingers touched the top of the sword, the handle began to sparkle. This bright, warm light broke through the clouds in the sky, shining down onto me in a straight line. I immediately stopped, yanking my hand back and stumbling backwards a few steps. Archimedes, who now had gigantic eyes, encouraged me to keep going. “No, no! That’s supposed to happen!” Boy, did he sound enthusiastic. Trusting in him, I reluctantly went to the sword a second time. This time, I wrapped both hands around the handle; the light and sparkles returned in the blink of an eye. It wasn’t difficult- shockingly- to pull the sword out of the stone. It was so easy in fact, that I flew myself backwards some way. I heard Archimedes laughing, and that’s the last thing I heard. 

My eyes shut, only for that all-too-familiar tired and heavy feeling to sweep over me. It was like swiftly falling to sleep. When next I opened my eyes, I found myself laying on the ground of the marsh. I was back in Morva, with no signs of the witches’ cottage or the sword I just pulled. With a moan, I sat up, resting my right hand against my forehead. “What was the point of all that?” I uttered bitterly to myself. That’s when my hand lowered itself a bit and I saw something marked in the palm of my hand. On the right hand, the first hand I touched the sword with, was a marking; like it was tattooed or branded into my skin. I didn’t recognize it at all. It was a mixture of squiggles and lines, though I did manage to make out a “RH” at the centre of it.


	28. Reunited Once Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal meets up with all her friends once more.

I ripped off a piece of my shirt at the bottom to tie around the palm of my right hand. I didn’t know what the symbol meant but didn’t want to take any chances if anyone saw me, should it be seen as bad in any way. Then I wandered out of the marches with still no clue on where to go next. Doli hadn’t returned and I didn’t know the way back to the fair folks’ underground kingdom. I ended up wandering quite aimlessly hoping to find some sort of sign pointing me in the direction of the Horned King’s castle. Instead of finding that however, when my hunger was just starting to get the better of me, I ran into something else unexpected. 

“Mal!” I climbed over a hill in a valley I had reached, only to see the coastline come into view. I didn’t recognize anything around me on land, but I did spot a familiar boat docked on the beach. My eyes widened as I realized what I was looking at. The one who called my name was Evie; she was far on the other end of the field I had just surmounted. I didn’t react immediately, still baffled out of my mind as to how she could even be here with me. But the initial stun didn’t last too long when Harry and the others ran over where I could see them. Harry, my heart skipped a beat. I could make out him saying my name on his lips too. He, Evie, Jay, Ben, Uma, among others dashed my way. 

Of course Harry was the first to reach me, catching me in his arms. He caught me, kissing my face and neck everywhere and holding me so close to him. I swear he must have cracked a rib by the time our friends arrived. “Mal!” Evie was the next to pull me out of Harry’s grasp and throw her arms around my neck. I held onto her while still maintaining eye contact with Harry. He looked like he was about to cry, and I’m pretty sure I looked the same. 

“Mal, how are you?! What are you doing out here all by yourself?! Are you ok?!” Evie pulled back so to clasp both my cheeks in her hands. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” I had to repeat over and over just to get her to let go. “Y-You were big! And then you were back to normal! Then you fell into the sea!” Evie had tears rolling down her cheeks by now. So did I. “I know, I had some cake and drink from Wonderland,” I explained myself. “What happened to you?! Were you out here looking for us?!” She kept demanding. My lips instantly opened to reply but no words came out. No, actually; that was the last thing I was trying to do in reality. I didn’t want any of them going near the Horned King or the black cauldron. Only one person would be entering his castle; only one person needed to enter his castle…….. 

“We’ve been looking for you, Mal,” Ben announced; he also sounded super relieved to have found me. “You have?” I blinked to him surprised. I don’t know why this surprised me so much. It made sense when I thought about it. I mean, they were trapped behind the wall in Prydain now; what else were they going to do? Aside from trying to find the black cauldron themselves. I silently gulped at the very idea, banishing it from my mind. 

Doug nodded. “We knew you were alive somewhere here in Prydain.” “You knew I didn’t drown?” I asked astonished. “Your uncle, Poseidon, sent a seagull with news of your safe arrival to Prydain,” Jay told me. Seagull? “Was it by chance Scuttle?” I asked. They all blinked in amazement. “How did you know?!” A small, secret smile crept across my lips. “Just a guess.”

Everyone was fawning for me so much that I was practically carried back to the Argo. Dodger came running out to me and I kneeled down to hug him. Once onboard I was served a much-needed meal. It was the strangest thing. While everyone around me was still in panic-mode, I felt bizarrely calm- almost numb you could say. I don’t know why; since I got here to Prydain my experiences of been of a schizophrenic nature. I nearly drowned, got suck down a whirlpool to the land of the fair folk, went to Morva, and got transported back to London in the Dark Ages. I still didn’t see the point of the last one. But the point is that I think my mind wasn’t in the best mental condition at the moment. 

As I ate my food, my friends kept prodding me with questions. I sat on Harry’s lap the whole time, which I could see annoyed Ben for some reason. But I was past the point of caring; I just wanted to be close to Harry while I can. I told everyone how Sebastian and Flounder saved me from the sea, and how Scuttle brought me to meet King Eldilleg and the fair folk underground. 

“Then one of the fair folk, Doli, took me to meet these three witches. I wanted to ask them where the Horned King’s castle was.” “Did they tell you?” Jay asked hopefully. I shook my head. “No. I still have no clue where it is.” They all nodded in contemplation. Then Ben flashed me a kind smile. “Well, I’m just thankful you’re alright, Mal.” “Yeah, and that we found you so quickly,” Uma tacked on. “We didn’t see or meet anyone. This part of Prydain is pretty barren,” Evie said. Her hand then reached over to give mine a little tender squeeze. She smiled so warmly at me. “Don’t worry, Mal. We’ll find the castle.” 

“Yes, but we still have to figure out where the black cauldron is inside the castle and how we’re going to get our parents out of it,” Doug noted thoughtfully. I gazed over to him but didn’t say anything. Lonnie nodded in agreement. “Maybe someone on the island can help us?” She remarked. “Hey, yeah! Maybe the locals know something,” Gil said with enthusiasm. Jane’s head turned to me. “Those witches, Mal; did they tell you anything about the black cauldron? Where the Horned King might be hiding it or how we could possibly free the adults?” 

I looked at her for a long time, not making a sound. Then my lips parted a sliver as I drew in a silent, slow breath. “No, they didn’t tell me anything about the cauldron.”


	29. I Love You, Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Mal have one last conversation.

I walked out onto the dock of the Argo in my pyjamas and wrapped up in a shawl. I reached the ledge of the boat, resting my elbows onto its wood. That’s how Harry found me a few minutes later. My head turned to see him coming over to me. His eyes were low and gentle, locked securely onto mine. Harry, my own gaze lowered adoring his way. 

“Can’t sleep?” This perfect man asked, planting his elbows beside mine. After watching him for a moment, my stare returned back out at the water. My lips parted ever so slightly, waiting a minute to speak. “Harry, you know that no matter what happens, you’ll always be with me. Always……..” 

Harry looked at me for the longest time; his own lips opening eventually. I think he could tell something was up. “What’s wrong, Mal? Just now, you sounded a bit…….” Harry didn’t finish his sentence. I drew in a deep, silent breath. “Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you knew…….” After another couple of minutes of us not saying anything, Harry’s head also turned to face the water. 

“Well, yeah; course I know that. It doesn’t matter where you are; you’re never out of sight, Mal,” he said with such tenderness. “Harry,” I gazed over at him. “This whole trip’s got me thinking…… Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. I know our parents won’t like it, but who gives a damn about that anymore? When I want to see my future, all I have to do is look beside me.” “Harry!” My eyes widened, touched. “Mal, you’re the only one I know who I can watch for a minute and find a thousand things to love about.” “Oh, Harry…….” The corners of my eyes welled up with tears. “Ever since we were little, when you showed me what true kindness looks like, I knew you were the one…….. And that’s confirmed each and every time I look at you.” His hook and hand reached down to take mine in his. My eyes rolled up from them to his facing. His eyes were the gentlest, most affectionate I’d ever seen……. “Yeah, I’m sure about this. I know……. All my happiness rests in your smile now, not mine. So what do you say, babe? Wanna make this a thing when we get back home? Will you be my forever girl and stay with me…….. forever?” 

I couldn’t do anything be simply, merely, organically, effortlessly stare at him- at Harry. This wonderful, beautiful man who is so precious to me……. That’s what I wanted; that’s what I’ve always wanted more than words could say. I would have given anything for a future together back on the island. I want this with my entire body and soul. But……… My lips parted a sliver. Our eyes locked again, and I felt my heart quiver uncontrollably inside me. This man who will always be with me…….. “I love you, Harry,” was all I said. 

Harry’s face beamed with the purest, most sweetest delight. Taking this to be an affirmation to his proposal, he proceeded to pull me for an elated embrace. His arms wrapped so tight around me, but my arms held onto him tighter. I pressed myself into him as closely as humanly possible. While Harry wore a smile a mile wide, my grin vanished once he could no longer see my face. I just held him for as long as I could, imprinting what his arms around me felt like into my memory. I wanted to remember this moment perfectly……. After all, you’re my forever boy too, Harry.  
There’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever.


	30. To The Horned King's Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal has some help getting to the Horned King's castle; in more ways than one.

I woke up before everyone else the next morning; even Dodger was still fast asleep. Without making a sound I went over to the bag of things I had packed back home. I pulled out a hooded dark cloak, dark shirt, and dark tight pants. With the heaviest heart, I had to remove Daddy’s patchy jacket and set it aside; I wouldn’t be wearing it again. While I was unpacking I caught sight of the golden fleece my cousin Ares gave me. Curious, I thought picking it up to hold in front of me. I’d forgotten all about it until now. I didn’t see what use it would be to me now, but on a whim, I decided to wear it under my dark shirt as a kind of undershirt. My only reasoning was that I wanted to carry something from the Greek side of my family on my person. It was the only personal item I would be carrying……. 

With my hood pulled up, I left my room, careful not to wake my canine companion. My feet tiptoed through the hall towards the staircase leading up to the deck. Before I got there though, I passed Harry’s bedroom door. It was shut so I couldn’t hear him gently snoring inside. Once I reached the front of his door, my feet ground to a halt. For a second I stood there like that, staring at the unresponsive polished wood. My lips parted ever so slightly as my left hand- the one not bandaged with my shirt on the palm- lifted up to press against the door. My eyes lowered with a single tear dripping down my cheek. That one tear was all I could allow myself to cry; I’d break down into an emotional wreck if I dared cry anymore. My thumb ran along the grain of the wood. Harry……… I hope you know how much I love you. There’re so many tender things I’d like to tell you once more. But most of all, I want to repeat those supreme words. “I love you, Harry………” It took every ounce of willpower in me to tear myself away from my beloved’s doorway. 

Escaping the Argo wasn’t hard. I snuck away without a hitch; probably because no one thought I would actually go out on my own. But I left just like that, leaving no note or signal or anything. I simply slipped into the shadows of the morning, convinced I’d never see any of my dear friends again. But I could go happy at least, knowing that all of them- each and every one of them- were safe. 

I ran for I don’t know how long. I didn’t even know if I was going in the right direction if I’m honest. All I knew is that I had to find the Horned King’s castle somehow as soon as possible. For the first while, I just went inwards away from the coast. I had hoped that I’d run across some of Prydain’s inhabitants who could stir me the right way, but no such luck. When I reached this particularly high point, I paused to survey the land in front of me. Lots of forests and valleys, but no signs of a castle. 

Then, as if my divine relatives were watching and felt a pang of pity for me, someone came zooming through the sky towards me. I squinted, trying to get a better look at who it might be. But I didn’t have to guess for long. My eyes grew in shock to see my great uncle, Zephyr, flying to meet me. I’d never met Zephyr in person before, but then that’s true for the majority of my paternal family. 

Zephyr is the personification of the West Wind. He’s technically the god of the West Wind but he can also be considered as the West Wind himself. He glows this greyish translucent colour everywhere to represent the wind, has long silky hair, and wears nothing but the lower half of a toga which leaves a trail miles long behind him. His voice also echoed whenever he spoke. Despite being my great uncle, he looked roughly around the age of thirty. I know, I know; Greek gods all age differently. The fact that Zeus’s own uncle looks younger than him isn’t a big thing on Olympus. 

Zephyr flew up to me and smiled. His hand extended out for mine. “Well, now, dear niece. Correct me if I’m mistaken but you appear to be lost.” “You came all the way from Greece to help me?” I flashed him a grateful grin. My great uncle chuckled. “It’s no trouble, really. Now then. You, child, are trying to go to the Horned King’s castle, is that it?” “Yes,” my head nodded. “Well, I’m afraid you won’t make it like this. The castle’s a two-day trek from here,” he informed me. “Two days?!” It was his turn to nod this time. Then he drew in closer, still holding his hand out. 

“I will take you to his castle, niece.” “Y-You will?!” I gasped dumbfound and elated. “Of course. Why else would I be here?” Zephyr obviously had a lot more experience with handling girls than Thanatos. And yes; I’m well aware that my great uncle isn’t romantically interested in women. What I meant is that he scooped me up into his arms with a lot more ease than the last Greek god to carry me anywhere. Wearing a comforting smile, Zephyr picked me up and looked down to me. “We’ll be there a lot faster than two days, but it’ll still take a while. Feel free to fall asleep if you want. But I should warn you, because I’m the West Wind your mind might fly back to the past if you do. Don’t worry; it’ll return to your body when you wake up.” “Oh,” I wasn’t sure what to make of this news. Satisfied with that, Zephyr proceeded to race across the sky with me safely in his arms. 

I can see why he told me to sleep if I’d like. For the first little while flying like this was so much fun. But soon enough it became boring when all I saw was trees and other greenery. I’m not sure when I fell to sleep in Zephyr’s grip, but I know did at some point. I know this because at some point I opened my eyes, but I was no longer high up in the sky. 

My eyes fluttered open only to find myself in a different position. It was like I was laying down on what seemed like the floor of somewhere. But when I was fully awake, I realized that I didn’t have a body; it was only my mind here. The best way I can thing to describe it is like being a ghost. Your spirit is present, but you know your physical mass is elsewhere. Wherever my mind was, it was dark and damp; I’m pretty sure I was in a basement or cellar of some sort. Despite not having a body, I acted as if I had a form. My invisible arms propped me up on the floor as I glanced around my surroundings. 

I was right; it appeared to be underground somewhere. Initially I didn’t see anyone down there with me, but when my head turned forward, I saw an old man in a blue robe standing at a table. My eyes grew upon spotting him. I see; I must be in the Dark Ages again, like when I was sent back to London. I could figure that by how primitive everything around us looked. The man, who was wearing a pointy blue hat with a gold crescent moon and stars on it, stood in front of this skull laying on the table. Vapers came out of it as he waved his hands overtop it. As he did this, seemingly unaware of my visual presence in the room, I watched him intently. There was……. something about this man. I couldn’t put my finger on it, and I had no memory of meeting him before; I didn’t even know his name or who he was. But something about him tinged a bell inside my brain. He was extraordinarily powerful- I knew that just by looking at him. 

The sorcerer continued fiddling with the skull on the table for a few minutes. Then, out for nowhere and quite unexpectedly, he stopped. He lowered his hands down at his sides. My heart skipped at beat when he suddenly looked directly at me. I mean he was staring right where I was sitting up on the floor. Now, I knew he couldn’t be looking at me. This was in the past, after all; and I wasn’t born when this originally happened. But something about the way he was watching me just now…….. I could have sworn he saw me, even though I didn’t have a physical body. It’s as if he somehow knew I was there in the room with him. And he knew where I was too. 

I had to give myself a mental kick. Oh, stop being such a moron, Mal. Of course he can’t see you; he obviously doesn’t know you are there. How could he? You weren’t there when this occurred in reality. But then, why is he staring at me so hard like that? Duh. Likely because there’s something behind you; there’s no way he can see me. I got up to brush my non-self off just as someone was coming down the staircase. Checking to see who it was, I was astonished at the sight of Mickey Mouse entering the room. He wore a red robe and carried two buckets full of water in his hands. Once he got down the stairs, he set the buckets down and glanced to the sorcerer. I should note that the old man’s eyes were still locked my way. “What are you looking at, Master?” Mickey asked. 

There was no reply. I blinked from him back to the wizard. An abrupt compulsion came over me to explain myself. I still doubted he could see or hear me, but I felt the need to justify my presence, nonetheless. I think this was more for me than anything. Shyly, my hands fiddled with each other in front of me. “Erm, I……. I just fell asleep……. I mean, this is only my mind; my great uncle Zephyr’s carrying my body currently. I’m going to the Horned King’s castle to find the black cauldron,” I sounded as about as confident as I looked. 

To my shock and horror, the sorcerer’s eyebrow raised up as if he was reacting to what I’d said. But……. But no, my hand rose up to my chest. That’s impossible……. He can’t hear me; he can’t. Mickey kept looking from me to his master with confusion; he clearly didn’t know I was there. But the wizard didn’t take his eyes off me. That’s when I was overcome with a different emotion- one of comprehension. My eyes slowly but steadily began to grow. 

I don’t understand…….. Why does this man make such an impression on me? Why is he looking in my direction that way? I don’t get it……. I’ve never met this wizard before in my life. So then why…….. My lips unconsciously opened. Why do I get the feeling he’s looking at me almost protectively so? Like he knows what I’m about to do? He couldn’t…….. He wouldn’t have…….. All my life, there are so many questions I’ve never asked before. 

How did Peter Pan meet me before I can remember? How did the Cheshire Cat or any of Wonderland’s inhabitants know about me on the island? How come I’m the only one who saw the coachman on the Isle of the Lost? Why were there little holes big enough for Flounder and Sebastian to fit through in the stone wall surrounding Prydain’s coast? Why was I able to pull the sword from the stone? And most important of all, why does this sorcerer before me seem so vital, so imperative to my existence? I don’t understand it at all. Why do I feel like he knows everything and I know nothing? Why do I feel all weird whenever I look at him? Who is he? Just who is this man? I don’t get it…….. “Sykes must have done something to piss him off because he disappeared not too long after. Vanished without a trace on the Isle of the Lost. Him and some other guy he was working with.” Who is he? 

“Mal? Mal, wake up. We’re here.” My eyes slowly opened to a familiar voice. I blinked up at Zephyr; he was grinning back down at me. “W-Where am I?” I asked groggily. The last thing I remember, my mind was in that sorcerer’s basement……. “We’re here, niece. We’re at the Horned King’s castle.”


	31. Mal Meets The Horned King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal finally comes face to face with the infamous Horned King.

Zephyr set me down onto my feet in this really creepy area. The sky was a deep black for as far as the eye could see. Everything was dead in the vicinity. The water below the castle was a murky brown and smelled so pungent. Zephyr had carried me to a long bridge, ending with a drawbridge protecting the castle. And the castle! Oh my god, the castle. And here I thought Pleasure Island was terrifying. This was scary in a completely different way. The castle’s bricks and floors were dishevelled, and it felt as if it’s owner could have cared less. The Horned King clearly didn’t concern himself with keeping up the appearance of his estate. It was dark all around us, but a few lights could be seen shining through these glassless windows. To make matters worse, these dragon-like things were flying all about the grounds. I’m not sure if they were acting as watch dogs or what not. I stepped backwards and my great uncle glanced down at me. 

“Will you be alright by yourself?” Zephyr asked me worried. My eyes didn’t leave the horrifying edifice in front of me. My lips wouldn’t stop trembling. No, of course I wouldn’t be alright in somewhere like this alone! But what other choice did I have? I drew in a deep, deep breath, unable to meet my uncle’s gaze. “I……. I-I’ll be fine. Thank you for bringing me here, Uncle.” “My pleasure. You take care of yourself, niece. And be careful in there.” “I-I will.” With one last look at me, Zephyr took off leaving me there right outside the front entrance. My legs were quaking; I did not want to go in there. It looked like a death trap; like once you entered, there was no getting out. Whether you jumped inside the cauldron or not, I’m sure. 

It took me a while but eventually I was able to force myself to enter the horrific looking, crumbling castle. It was the oddest thing- it looked rickety and yet felt super sturdy at the same time. Huh, maybe its owner doesn’t care how it looks so long as it does its job properly. I snuck across the unguarded drawbridge, mindful to stay in the shadows and out of sight of the dragons flying about.

The interior was literally no better than the exterior. A thick layer of dust and grim was on everything. Dead tree trunks came up through the floor. Spider webs and bones were the main décor. The whole place was lit by unattended torches which just seemed to burn and burn without going out. There were skulls carved into the walls and the woods. And there was the odd real human skull here and there. It was like hell in here; this made Daddy’s palace in the underworld look like a vacation resort. At least Daddy’s old home was clean. 

For a warlord who had just conquered an entire kingdom, his castle was surprisingly unguarded. I tip-toed through the empty halls for over an hour before I ran into anyone, and that was a single passed out man. I passed by this room with an open door; inside was a man in armour- a soldier, I guess- asleep at a table with an empty beer mug in his hand. In front of him was a roaring fire; also unattended like the torches. This only confirmed what the witches had told me. It doesn’t look like any of the adults in Prydain disappeared. 

The soldier didn’t stir as I slipped by; he was completely sloshed. And he wasn’t the only one. After an hour of search for anything remotely cauldron shaped, I came across another open door; this one only by a crack. For the first time since I got here, I heard sounds coming from further inside. I rushed over to the door, pressed by back against it, and listened for a moment. 

Music of a weird sort and adult man voices- lots of them. They were laughing and shouting, not sounding angry at all. It sounded like they were celebrating. To my surprise, the door opened onto this rotting wooden floor; there were no walls in this once room. All the wood had rotted away, save these massive sturdy pillars supported by the stone wall right beneath us. It was such a setup that I could perfectly see all the men chortling with each other in what appeared to be a great hall. Well, it was a hall anyway; but nothing about it was great. I saw things down there I wished I never laid eyes on. 

Tons of skulls and bones scattered about. Three tables set up in the formation of an E without the middle line. On both sides of the tables were these battle-hardened drunkards, consuming an endless supply of meat and countless gallons of beer. Dogs were allowed to roam on top of the tables and chew on the bones. At the head of the table was this two-head chained dragon; it was very small considering the usual size of a dragon. What I hated most was a human-sized cage hanging from the ceiling at one side of the hall. A skeleton laid inside- you know whoever it was starved to death in there. These men were armed to the teeth in knives, swords, and other such metal weaponry. They weren’t like the coachman who I feared for so many years- they looked like they’d kill a person just for the fun of it. And I was truly afraid of them after realizing so. 

While I was up there, I took the opportunity to scan over the hall for any signs of a large cauldron. My eyes lit up when I found one! Only…… it was a cauldron and it was indeed black. But it resided in the massive fireplace with this brown, goopy soup stuff inside it. I doubted that was the “black cauldron”. Why would the Horned King use this extremely powerful item of evil for cooking? I mean, it could be possible, but that was pretty sick if it was true. In any case, I thought it best to get out of there before anyone spotted me. I was about to sneak back out the door until something stopped me. I turned only to come face to face with this hound dog. 

This dog immediately started barking very, very aggressively at me. I crawled backwards in a state of shock and alarm. By the time everyone in the grand hall looked up, the dog was basically chasing me off the pillar. My body was flung down a full story, with my fall only breaking by my accidental grabbing of a torn tapestry. I landed on the grey stone brick floor with a thud and opened my eyes to see a swarm of burly men gather around me. Their expressions were confused and mildly amused by the turn of events. 

“Ello, ello; what have we here?” “It’s a little bird.” “How’d you get in here, birdy? You get yourself lost?” They teased me in that sick, lustful tone predators use. I just laid there in the middle of the floor, unable to move an inch. The petrifying fear overwhelmed me as these brutes inched closer and closer. I can’t even describe how disgusting their smiles and leers were towards me. “She’s pretty.” “It’s about time we got some women in here.” “How about a kiss, hey princess? Yes, you’re a lovely one.” “Kiss me and I’ll die with a smile on my face, love.” “She’s too good to send back out there. Let’s keep her around!” “Just where did you come from, angel? Didn’t know we had such nymphs around here, what.” Oh, gross! I could feel the vomit surge up my throat as their dirty hands came in for me. 

But before any of them could actually touch me, the whole atmosphere of the room dramatically changed. All the men and animals were suddenly quiet. An eerie howl echoed through the castle; this invisible wind began rustling the remaining tapestries. It was like a horrible spell had been casted over the whole place. It was a piercing terror that seeped into your bones. Even the men, who were seconds ago approaching me, altered their demeanour entirely. All fires suddenly went out, leaving the room pitch black for a second. 

This swirling blue lightening appeared out of nowhere. It coiled in a circular motion, where the blue light was replaced by fire. A gigantic blast lit up the space, and when it was over this tall, slender figure stood in a sea of dark smoke. The smoke cleared to reveal an entity at the front of the hall. Wearing only a dark red cloak and hood, with holes cut out for his horns to go through, the seemingly faceless creature stood there. He stood there and said nothing for a minute or so. All eyes were on him as he then made his way over to this terrifying throne. It didn’t take a genius to realize……. this man right here- he was the Horned King. The beast of a man- and I sincerely doubt he was a man- sat down and put his hands together in front of him. I couldn’t see his eyes from where I was, but I knew, I could feel him staring straight at me. This……. this monster. The one who abducted my father. 

No one dared make a peep for a couple of minutes, too afraid to anger their master. It was the king who spoke first, and he spoke to me. “Who are you?” My lips instantly parted but no words came out. I was too afraid to hear my own voice in such a place. But I understood that making him angry was not the best strategy now. And this hall was big, but I don’t think it would be wise for me to transform into a dragon in here. The space would confine me at that size more than anything, and who knows what all those men with swords would do then. Instead, I summoned up the courage to answer, albeit with zero confidence.

“A-Ah, Keroessa; m-my name is Keroessa,” I lied through my teeth. No way in hell I was giving him my real name. But I think this immediately backfired on me when he eyed me with suspicion. “You’re not from around here. Where did you come from?” “I-I…… I came from……. from Pleasure Island!” I blurted out the first place that wasn’t Auradon or the Isle of the Lost I could think of. Now the men were starting to turn on me, sending equally suspicious glares my way. 

“No, you didn’t!” “Pleasure Island only takes in boys! There’s no girls allowed on Pleasure Island!” Some of the soldiers shouted. Realizing that I now had a basis to run with, I decided to screw it and dive whole-heartedly into this narrative. “No, it’s true! I came here from Pleasure Island! I can even show you what direction it’s in!” That I did know. “How did you get here?” The Horned King asked in his patient yet terrifyingly controlled voice. “I…… I flew here. I can transform into a dragon at will. I’ve……. always been able to do it.” “Lair! How could someone like you turn into a dragon?!” Another man shouted. “Really, I can! See, most people don’t know this because no girls ever go to Pleasure Island. But Pleasure Island turns little boys to donkeys, but little girls to dragons- temporarily.” I was honestly a little shocked when they all considered this for a moment, like there might be some merit to my story. One of the men blinked over to me. “If that’s true then why doesn’t the coachmen bring more girls to the island?” “B-Because he has no use for dragons. Dragons can’t be trained and sold off as easily as donkeys can. He’s looking for an easy profit,” I retorted. 

I once again felt the Horned King’s eyes burning a hole through me; he was watching me like he was trying to figure me out. “Who is your father?” I was visibly shaken when he asked me this; I was not expecting that. I didn’t reply right away, giving myself a much-needed minute. “T-The coachman! He’s my father! T-That’s how we found out that girls can turn into dragons. I was born on the island and the am only little girl to step foot there. I-I’m his daughter and only child.” There was a very tense pregnant pause. “And your mother?” “I-I don’t know! She died……. giving birth to me. My father never speaks about her.” Yet another long, insanely frightening pause. I could sense his glare narrow intently onto me. “Why did you come here?” Once again, I couldn’t answer right away; I had to allot myself a minute. “I……. I wanted to meet the man, um king, who made a deal with my father. T-To meet him and thank him, f-for not imprisoning my father. He’s very happy to keep you supplied with donkeys, your majesty,” I’d never tasted more bitter words coming out of my mouth. But I had to make it so he didn’t want to kill me; it was the only way I might find the cauldron through all this. 

Unfortunately for me, the men around me acted as if they’d had enough of my nonsense. An uproar soon started, and I was at the centre of it. “She’s lying!” “Torture her! Make her tell the truth!” “Rip her limb from limb!” “Let’s hold her feet over the fire and make her squeal!” I began screaming for my life as they all suddenly reached for me. Thankfully, an unexpected voice saved me in the nick of time. All eyes shot back to the Horned King, who was still staring in my direction. 

“Wait. You say you can transform into a dragon?” This genuinely stunned not just me but all his soldiers. This?! The one thing I told the truth about he believes?! Perhaps that’s why he believes me; he knew in that moment that I was being honest. That honesty may be the thing that saves me. I didn’t hesitate to nod. “Yes, I can change into a dragon whenever I want.” This monster hummed calculatingly to himself, lowering his skull head somewhat. “Then you may be of use to me.” He finally turned to face some of his men. “Throw the girl into the dungeon with the other.” 

My eyes lit up in horror. “Other?! What other?!” My questions were ignored as this particularly strong fellow came up from behind to grab both my forearms. He gave me a wicked scowl. “Come on, you!” It wasn’t hard for him to drag me out of the hall and towards the dungeon. And so we went, the Horned King not taking his eyes off me until we were out of the grand hall.


	32. Fflewddur Fflam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal meets Fflewddur Fflam in the dungeon.

“Alright, down you go.” The soldier dragging me along opened a wooden criss-cross gate in the floor. I let out a scream as he proceeded to fling me down it. The fall wasn’t long, but I landed on the grey stone bricks with a bang. The man laughed at me laying there in pain. But soon his laughing was interrupted by another voice. 

“I say! You there! Let me out! I’ve already told you! I’m not a spy; I’m a bard! I swear, I had no idea who owned this castle! I was merely passing!” I lifted my upper half up to see this older man chained to the other side of the cell. He had whitish hair with grey eyebrows. He wore a yellow shirt with brighter sleeves and a red cape. Around his neck was a harp of sorts. Both his wrists were chained to this wooden fixture just above his head. The poor man looked like he’d been down here a while. It didn’t register that I was down there with him right away, as he continued yelling to the guard. “You can’t keep me down here! I am a famous artist! I……. I…… Oh, by jove…….” Only then did he take notice of me on the ground. I meanwhile, gawked at him with horror and disbelief. 

“Oh my god!” Immediately my feet leapt into action, jumping up in a flash and rushing over to the man. All my attention now went to his shackles. “I say, are you alright?” “Fine! Need to get these off,” I desperately searched for any weak spots I might exploit in the iron and wood. “What’s your name?” He asked me. “They might be listening,” I replied in a whisper; my fingers were still fiddling with the locks. “Are you a princess?” There was a hint of hopefulness in his voice. “No…… Yes! I have to get these off you somehow!” I wasn’t really listening to what he was asking me. These chains were set tight by the looks of it. 

“What on earth are you doing in a place like this, princess? Did he steal you?” “He wants to keep me because I can turn into a dragon,” I absentmindedly explained. The bard’s face lit up. “You can?! Well, why don’t you turn into one now and free us?” An audible gasp left my lips as my hands paused for a moment. “I can’t do that! This cell is too small to fit my dragon body and I’m liable to hurt you. No, I can’t transform in here,” with that I went back to fidgeting with his chains. I let out a low groan as I tried prying one open, with no success. Growing more irritated, I looked down at my right palm. “It’s too slippery with this on,” the bard watched me unwrap the piece of torn shirt tied around my hand. 

The bard’s whole expression altered entirely when he saw the strange marking on my right palm. I blinked back up to him as he gasped very loudly. “Great scott! That’s the emblem of the late king!” “Who?” My eyebrow raised confused. “The great king of Prydain: King Rhydderch Hael. That’s his personal insignia on your hand.” “It is?” I glanced down to it ponderingly. “He’s the one who built this castle and brought Prydain into its golden age! Or at least until that fiendish Horned King took it over. King Rhydderch Hael came here from England, you know.” “He did?” The wheels in my head began to turn. 

“I say, how did you manage to get that? Are you related to his majesty, by chance?” “Uh, no. I got it after……. after I uh……. pulled a sword from a stone.” “Pulled a sword from a stone? Well, by jove…….” The wheels kept turning and turning inside my brain. My eyes wandered out into space for a second as I contemplated. ["Where did Arthur put the sword after he pulled it out from the stone?" "In the old king's tomb, though he wasn't buried here in England.”] 

“The late king……. Where is he buried?” “Oh, his tomb’s underneath the castle. Why do you ask?” The bard inquired. My gaze scrolled around in a thoughtful manner again; I bit my lower lip still thinking. “Underneath the castle? Where underground actually?” “Why, I’m not sure. The castle’s teeming with corridors and tunnels right below the floors. Legend tells that they all lead back to the great king’s tomb eventually.” “Tunnels? You mean there are tunnels beneath us right here?” I pressed. “I should think so, yes,” now it was the bard’s turn to be perplexed. 

I stood up, carefully inspecting the bricks comprising the floor. It was hard to see any exact details thanks to the dull light coming from a torch right above our cell. But it was enough light for me to see where I was stepping. I began knocking on each slab with my feet, listening for any sort of hollow or echoing sound. The bard kept watching me utter confused. “I say, what are you doing, princess?” I didn’t answer, keeping on with my search. My heart leapt for joy at this hollow tap coming off one of the bricks near the back. It was one of the bigger ones in the cell, but it definitely didn’t have anything underneath it. Excitedly I raced back over to the bard so to talk into his ear. 

“I found a brick that’ll open up to the tunnels. It’s pretty set in but I’ll work at it and pull it up.” The bard’s lips stammered. “Oh, but my dear, none of the tunnels lead outside. In order to prevent looting, the king had them all sealed up, you see.” I mulled this over for a minute, only to decide it didn’t matter. I shook my head and looked back at the puzzled bard. “I’m still going to break it loose and go down to the king’s tomb.” “But…… but why, princess? What possible reason could you have for wanting to go down into such a creepy place?” “Look, we need to escape from here and in order to do that, I need to get you out of those chains.” “But what does that have to do with anything?” My eyes shown right into his as my lips flattened to a straight, serious line. 

“Because I’m going to get us a sword.”


	33. Retrieving Dyrnwyn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal goes down to the late king's tomb to get his sword.

I slowly came to the realization that I wouldn't be able to move the brick on my own. I'd have to use some of tool or something. Luckily, help arrived in the most unexpected of forms. I had been working away at the grit around the stone slab for hours; my fingers were beyond bloody and raw by this point. But I stopped and ran away from the brick when a new voice echoed down into the cell.

"Dinnertime," the unfamiliar soldier announced before uncaringly tossing down a slice of rock-hard bread on a wooden plate and a pitcher full of water. He snickered to himself as I went to collect the vessel. "Gotta keep the new pet dragon alive." With that, he took off; I waited until I could no longer hear his footsteps before taking the jug over to the bard, who's name I learned was Fflewddur Fflam. I hadn't and wasn't planning on telling him my name.

Fflewddur's eyes followed me as I came over to him with water in hand. "Here," stretching to the tips of my toes, I held the top of the jug up for him. He blinked at me. "But… But what about you?" "I'm pretty sure the last drink I had was after yours. Please, drink." The bard didn't need any more prompting than that. He sipped down the whole jug as I carefully and slowly pushed its bottom higher into the air. Once that was done, I set the pitcher down and went back to the slab.

It looked just ready enough to be pried up, but I was too weak to do it with my bare hands. Considering this, my gaze began to roll around for any sign of something. My eyes stopped on the wooden plate now laying on the floor. The bread was off somewhere, not that it was edible for either of us. Quickly, I rushed over to snatch the plate and bring it over to the brink of attention. Fflewddur watched me shove one end of the plate in between the crack I had just cleared. "Please work," my lips muttered under my breath. There was a tiny budge when pushing down on the top end with both my hands, but no significant movement. Growing increasingly desperate, I decided to try stepping on the plate instead- while being fully aware that it might break the wood in half.

A jolt of sheer joy and relief rolled over me when all of a sudden, one side of the brick lifted up. It wasn't very high but just high enough for me to jam my fingers underneath so to prevent it from falling back completely. Another push of the plate- which miraculously didn't crack- brought the slab up and I was able to kick it away. It landed on the floor opposite me with a bang. Thank goodness this was at the far end of the cell and not liable to draw much attention.

Fflewddur's knees leapt for joy. "You did it, princess! You did it!" "Shhhhh! Not so loud, Fflewddur!" I stumbled over to him, pressing my finger against my lips. "Oh, quite right; quite right." Then we simultaneously glanced back at the hole. I drew in a long, stilling breath. "Ok, I'm going to go down into the tunnels and find the late king's tomb. I'll be back as soon as I have the sword." "Alright. I'll uh, I'll wait here," he tried his bit of comedy. I flashed him a smile and went over to the sizable hole. It was far enough into the dark so no one could see it above. Just in case, I instructed Fflewddur to tell any passing guards that I was sleeping- should they ask.

"Be careful," were Fflewddur's last words to me. "I will!" I fired back in a whisper, then climbed down into the hole without reservation. I had to shove all fear and hesitation out of my mind; time was of the essence and we were running out of it. Ironically, the corridors down here were a lot less creepy than the ones in the castle. Sure, there was the occasional rat and spider's web, but there was a distinct lack of bones scattered everywhere. My guess is by the looks of it, no one had been down here in quite a while.

The only thing I will say for this labyrinth was that it boosted being eerily silent. I could hear every footstep I made, and even the sound of my own breathing. I suppose the overwhelming quiet was a good thing, since it made it impossible for anyone to sneak up on me. Though I highly doubted anyone else was down here. I felt so confident on that front in fact, that I actually began talking to myself out loud- if only to break the creepy stillness of the place.

"Let's see, all these tunnels are supposed to lead to the king's burial chamber…" I honestly had no idea where I was. The thought occurred to me that it might be a good idea to remember which way I came from so I could find the cell with ease again. I explored for what must have been half an hour; at least that long until I came across something of seeming importance. I turned a corner and came face to face with this weird, wide, dust-riddled room.

There were wooden pillars and tapestries; both of which were in worn condition. Upon further inspection, I realized that I was standing in the middle of a tomb. This was confirmed when my head spun to the side and I spotted this above-ground stone coffin. It was both massive and surrounded by gigantic, long spider webs. Could it be…..? My hopes kept rising and rising as I approached the casket.

Carved into the top slab of the coffin was the figure of a man wearing a crown. He was laying down with his hands folded on top of his chest. My eyes widened as I got a closer look. Overtop his hands and resting along the middle of his body was an object which looked an awful lot like a sword. It didn't look at all like the sword I had pulled from the stone, as this one was covered in a thick layer of dust. Still, I was optimistic and any sword is a good sword in our position I'd say.

My fingers brushed off the dust and grim at the base of the handle, ignoring the particles and dirt getting into my wounds. My jaw dropped in surprise and delight once the engraving of the sword became readable. "Dyrnwyn! It is the same sword!" There was no reluctance in my right hand as I reached up to grab it. With ease I was able to lift up the sword with one hand, my other soon joining the right on the handle. A smile drew across my face as I realized what I was holding up in front of me.

I could care less about whether or not I'm worthy to wield the late king's sword. I'm not going to get my vanity wrapped up in this. But in that moment, this sword had tremendous value to me, and I was entirely thankful that I could wield Dyrnwyn. Not for my sake, but what it meant for others- for the big picture. This sword meant so many things. Our escape, Fflewddur's freedom, and getting all the adults back.


	34. Bonus Chapter: Meanwhile With The Others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The other kids are trying to find Mal, only to have some unexpected help.

No One’s P.O.V. (for this chapter only)- 

The remaining kids on the Argo had been searching for the better part of the day with no success. Somehow Mal managed to have disappeared without a trace, and no one had any idea where to begin looking for her. “I think it’s pretty evident that she’s gone to find the Horned King’s castle,” Uma noted while folding her arms. The others agreed but with no direction on where the castle might be, they spilt up and began looking for clues away from the coast. 

Gil, Uma, Dodger, Dizzy, and Lonnie had made their way pretty far field while Jane, Ben, Jay, Doug, Audrey, Evie, and Harry stayed closer by each other. Evie had just climbed up top a valley hill to peer into the distance. Her lips let out a disappointed sigh. Nothing- yet again. They’ve been searching for hours now and found nothing but rolling green pastures with not a castle in sight. Not that they were going to give up; far from it. The longer they looked, the more determined they grew to find Mal and the castle. 

“Nothing’s that way either,” a deflated Evie re-joined the others. Jane pondered for a moment. “Well, have we tried over there?” “I just looked there- there’s nothing!” Doug tossed his arms up into the air. Going against the popular persuasion, he was less willing to forgive Mal’s little disappearing act. “These hills go on for miles. Mal couldn’t have gotten far on them,” Jay exclaimed. “If that’s the case, then she must be somewhere we haven’t looked yet. She obviously didn’t vanish into thin air,” Doug retorted. “She might have. Our parents disappeared, after all. What’s to stop the Horned King from doing the same to Mal?” Audrey added her two-cent. 

The others stared at her for a moment before Evie’s head shot worriedly to her side. “She didn’t tell you anything last night?” She asked Harry, who had been out of his mind with worry since he found Mal missing that morning. “If she’d told me where she was going, I’d be with her right now,” he responded, making Ben frown. The heir apparent cleared his throat and planted his hands on his hips in a power post. 

“Let’s keep searching. I want to find Mal as soon as possible. I can’t protect her when she’s off on her own like this.” Everyone froze as Harry’s eyes darted angrily over to Ben; the mood surrounding the group changed within an instant and everyone knew to keep their mouths shut. Harry took a dangerous step towards the prince as his lips parted. “What?” Was all the pirate asked- his tone said it all. But Ben didn’t back down, instead matching Harry’s bravado as he straightened his back and shifted in such a way as to meet his glare face on. “I said I want to protect Mal. You got a problem with that?” Harry’s knuckled crunched. “It’s not your job to protect her- it’s mine. You got that?” Everyone waited on pins and needles to hear Ben’s reply, which both surprised and didn’t surprise them. Ben’s eyes narrowed onto Harry viciously. 

“Look, it’s pretty clear you have a thing for Mal, and she might like you a bit herself. But it’s also clear to everyone who the better choice is here.” “Excuse me?” Harry cracked his knuckles again. “It’s no competition honestly. You’re the son of a pirate who’s going to live forever on the Isle of the Lost. I’m a prince set to inherit his father’s kingdom. Besides, I’ve grown to know and appreciate Mal, and I know for a fact that she’s too good for you.” 

You could hear a pin drop as Ben uttered these last words. Harry looked like he was both about to explode and doing his best to keep his temper at the same time. His eyes narrowed so dangerously onto Ben; it was clear he was a hair away from snapping. “You think you know her?” “I do. And if you really loved Mal, you’d step aside. Unlike you, I can offer her a kingdom and a life full of peace and prosperity. She’d be happy and safe in Auradon with me. Don’t you want that for her? Don’t you want what’s best for Mal?” Harry didn’t hesitate with his answer. “I do love her, which is why I know you’re not what’s best for her. She doesn’t love you, prince-boy. She loves me; she’s told me herself. And you say you know her? Ha, you don’t know her at all! Mal doesn’t want a kingdom. She doesn’t want power; not unless it’s for the sole benefit of someone else. She’d rather marry for love than all that- you would know that if you knew her,” Harry cocked a side-smirk at the end of his sentence in a show of victory. Ben wasn’t admitting defeat that fast, however. 

“You think Mal won’t change her mind after living in Auradon- a country where roses grow everywhere- for a while? Mal just needs a chance to get to know me better. I already know enough about her to know that she’s the one for me. Now it’s her turn to figure that out.” Harry looked like he was ready to clock Ben square in the face. His fists were so tight, he was at risk of cracking a bone. “Don’t you get it? She doesn’t feel that way about you! She never will! There’s nothing for her to “figure out”. She’s already got things figured out, and she knows that she’s mine. She mine! Got that?!” Ben’s glare sharpened enraged onto Harry; his own hands balling up into fists. The tension was so great for a short moment before Ben gave a low, insidious smirk. “Heh, leave it to a pirate to take what’s not theirs and call it their own.” 

Harry raised up in his fist and within a blink of an eye, Ben found himself getting punched right in his left cheek. The prince stumbled back a few steps, stopped, brought his hand up to touch his cheek, and then glared back at Harry. “Alright, if that’s the way you wanna play…….” He proceeded to charge Harry and after a couple of tries, he managed to hit Harry in the side of the head. They continued to brawl, much to the other kids’ disenchantment. This was eating up a lot of time and Evie wanted to get back to searching for Mal. They could fight over her once they found her, in Evie’s opinion. It looked as if the rest agreed with her, rolling their eyes unimpressed. 

“Guys, this is stupid. We’re wasting time.” “Yeah, she’s right. We’ve gotta find Mal before someone else does- someone bad,” Jay announced. Doug let out an irritated huff; he was the one losing his patience with this whole mess faster than anyone. “You know, I don’t know why you’re fighting over her. This is all Mal’s fault in the first place.” This indicting remark caught the attention of everyone present, and not in a good way. Jane looked horrified, as did Evie and Jay. Doug blinked in surprise, a bit taken aback that no one immediately agreed with him; except for Audrey who didn’t verbally voice her opinion at the moment. “What? It’s true. We’ve made it clear: do not go off on your own again. And yet here she is- gone, vanished, disappeared. Now we have to waste time finding her when we should be working together to find the Horned King’s castle.” 

“You know, he has a point. I mean, why would she leave us again?” Audrey finally spoke out. Evie shot her a look. “Because she doesn’t want any of us to get hurt! This isn’t new; Mal’s been like this before we left the island. She’d rather do things alone than risk one of our lives.” “But I told her that she didn’t have to worry about that. I want to be there with her, regardless if it’s dangerous or not!” Ben proclaimed. Doug thought everything over to himself, rubbing his thumb under his chin in a pondering manner. “She left in such a hurry this morning…….. I bet she knew more about everything than she let on,” he eventually stated. “What? Are you saying Mal lied?” Jay eyed Doug coldly; he didn’t like that insinuation. “She must have. Otherwise why did she leave so fast and we haven’t been able to find her?” 

“You’re missing the point. I’m sure Mal’s just trying to protect us in her own way. Why else would she go off by herself? She’s doing it for us! She saved us from Monstro without a second thought; she went to go save Peter Pan from a man who terrified her from childhood; and she was the first one who proposed going to save all our parents. Mal has good ethics like that,” Evie said. Doug huffed under his breath. “Yeah right. How good can her moral character be if she’s willing to lie like that?” “Hey, back off! I’m sure she had a good reason,” Jay growled. “Are you kidding me?! She’s a liar! How can you so mindlessly follow someone like…….?!” 

Their arguing was interrupted by Gil’s frantic waving and shouting from his section of the hill. Earlier, while the biggest group were fighting amongst themselves, Gil was searching one particular stretch of land when he came across an entity in what appeared to be shepherd’s clothing. “Why, hello there. I’m an old shepherd and definitely not Hermes, herald of the gods and deity of travellers.” Gil scanned the allegedly old man over for a moment before his face beamed. “Sounds legit to me! Hey, guys; come take a look at this! It’s a local shepherd!” 

The others stopped their bickering and they, along with the other four who were looking by themselves, came over to where Gil and the old man were standing. Gil happily showed off his new find to everyone, who were a lot more suspicious upon first seeing him. “Why is your body glowing?” Uma asking distrustfully. “It’s uh, a skin condition. I hear you’re looking for my cousin, I mean your friend.” “How did you know?!” Gil gasped while the others rolled their eyes. The old man acted as if he was trying to remember for a minute, gazing up to the sky. 

“I do recall seeing a girl go by here earlier; she was going in the direction of the Horned King’s castle.” “You know where the Horned King’s castle is?!” This definitely caught all their attention. “Oh, I have a vague idea. If you want to go to the castle, it’s about a two-day walk. But you cut the time in half by going through the marsh and over the mountain instead of around it. It’s in that direction,” the old shepherd pointed to the West. They all glanced to where his finger was motioning, thinking the same thing as each other. “Uh, thank you, strange-but-wise shepherd,” Evie told him. But when they looked again, the old man was gone, seemingly vanishing into thin air. They all gazed at one another, then turned towards the West. Dodger let out a sigh. “Well, we’ll either find the Horned King’s castle or Mal if we go that way.” “Hopefully we catch up to the latter first,” Jane replied nervously.


	35. Jailbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal and Fflewddur escape from the dungeon.

I carried the sword as fast as I could back to the cell. Pushing the brick back up, I first put the sword into the room, then pulled myself up inside. Fflewddur’s face lit up the moment my head popped up. “You’re back! And by jove, there was a sword! Well done; well done, I say princess.” After shutting the passage behind me, I quickly brought the blade over to the bard, unsheathing it. 

“Ok, I’m going to try and cut your shackles off. I’ll uh…… I’ll do it from back here so there’s less risk I’ll cut your arm.” “Cut my arm?! I say, are you sure this is such a good idea? Couldn’t you try striking the wood?” “I need to free you from the wall. I promise I will be as careful as if they were my own wrists. Trust me, Fflewddur.” He gulped and winced but relented in the end. “Alright, but do be careful,” my new friend pleaded. 

After setting down the sheath, I handled the sword with both hands. My feet shifted into position and I raised the tip of the blade up a couple of times to test where I should swing. With time being of the essence, I didn’t have long to play around. Taking a deep, steadying breath in, my eyes shut for a moment as I mentally prepared myself. Ok, Mal; you can do it. Free Fflewddur- only think about that. The sooner his chains are off, the sooner you both can get out of here. My eyes slowly reopened, and I got myself ready for real this time. I felt the handle shift in my palms a tad. Ok…….. Ok, now! 

Without taking another breath, I sung the sword in the air behind me and Fflewddur closed his eyes. I moved my hands forward but it was honestly like the steel was doing all the work- and I mean that in a literal sense. Seemingly taking on a life of its own, it practically guided right to the cuff. There was a loud clash, and when we both drew the courage to look, we watched the detached iron piece fall to the floor. Fflewddur lowered his right arm, blinking at it in disbelief as he flexed his fingers. It took us a second to realized what had happened, and it resulted with the bard flashing me the most impressed, elated smile. “You did it, princess! You actually did it!” Suddenly full of confidence, I made quick work of the other shackle. We had stopped caring how loud we were by now, which had negative ramifications. 

Fflewddur rubbed his wrists and beamed at me. “That was brilliantly done, your highness. Utterly brilliant,” he praised. “Let’s get out of here,” I told him. But it was too late to go upward to escape. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing down there?!” Our heads shot up to see a burly guard glaring down at us. “Run! Run!” Seeing that we were officially out of time, Fflewddur pushed me to the brick in the floor. I was about to argue that it only goes down into the tunnels and there’s no way out down there, but witnessing the guard pull off the wooden gate and make his decent into the cell, I realized that it’s better than the alternative. We yanked up the stone together and Fflewddur let me go down first. He followed immediately after, letting the slab slam down behind him. “They’re trying to escape!” “Hurry!” “Don’t let them get away!” All these new male voices echoed from back in the cell. “Go; make hast!” Fflewddur urged me to move in any direction; it didn’t matter which at this point. 

We had been down there no less than ten seconds before a flurry of footsteps soon boomed through the underground corridors. The men chasing us had swords and were heavily armed; I’d be willing to bet we wouldn’t survive if we encountered them at any point. It was apparent that Fflewddur and I were no longer their prisoners; we were their targets. 

The two of us ran as fast as our feet could carry us; a series of soldiers always not far behind us. I felt my heart fall out of my chest when we turned a sudden corner, only to come face-to-face with a brick stone wall. “Princess!” A petrified Fflewddur cried out. “Over here! This way!” A terrifying voice rang out from right behind the bend. We’re going to die if we stay here, was my sole thought. Despite having a sword in my hand, I doubted I could fend them all off; plus, that would go against my moral of killing. Ironically, right at the moment I was contemplating how I couldn’t defend us from our oncoming attackers, the sword handle began to feel warm. The area around us started to glow; this light radiating off the blade. We looked in unison to see flames- literal fire- emanating from the sword. My jaw dropped while Fflewddur rubbed his eyes in disbelief. “Your sword…… It’s on fire!” It’s true; fire was somehow coming off the weapon. It began when I thought about how I couldn’t kill anyone with the sword…….. 

“Huh, Arthur never mentioned anything about this,” I pondered out loud. That’s when the bard got an idea. “Use it to strike something!” “What?” “Anything! We’re running out of time!” He pleaded. It was my turn next to get an idea. As the angry voices got closer to us, I told Fflewddur to stand back. Raising the now flaming sword up, I brought it against the brick wall with all my might. I know it was a long shot, but it was our only hope. 

I can’t tell you how happy I was when the bricks melted after a few whacks of the blade. By now I had figured out that this was indeed a magic sword. While its fire was not hot to Fflewddur’s or my touch, it was definitely hot enough to melt solid stone. And it did, rather quickly. The armed soldiers turned the corner, finding us escaping through the human-sized hole in the wall. As hoped for, the wall didn’t lead to more tunnels but an underground storage room. Fflewddur rushed over to some barrels of wine and started rolling them towards the hole. “Hurry! Help me, princess!” I did as I was asked, and we managed to move a considerable number of barrels before the flurry of men showed up. We then raced up the staircase and out of the cellar. 

We were once more out into the castle’s proper corridors but had no idea where we were. It didn’t help that male shouts and threats could be heard around every corner. “Where do we go?” A still frightened Fflewddur asked me. “This way!” I lead him straight, which was the only direction I could think to go. “There they are! There they are! That way!” A man called out behind us; I guess we were found out a lot faster than expected. 

Thankfully, we ran into a door which led to the courtyard outside. It was surrounded by the castle walls but still better than nothing. This time Fflewddur ran out first and I slammed the door after me. As we ran though trying to find shelter, another of the Horned King’s soldiers spotted us from up on a bridge overseeing the yard. “Over there!” His fat finger pointed down at us. “Stop them!” He was soon joined by other men, who hurled their spears and axes down at us. I screamed and we had no choice but to duck back through another heavy wooden door inside the castle. We only had a few moments to catch our breaths before the running resumed. 

We passed what appeared to be the kitchen, which was a lucky find but I thought I knew the way to the main gate from here. But before we could go any further, a group of men raced in front of the exit. Fflewddur hid behind me as I held up the sword, which was no longer on fire. One of the biggest, ugliest blokes took a threatening step in our direction. He sneered down at us. “You’re not going anywhere,” he growled through his yellow teeth. Fflewddur clung to the back of my shirt; his bottom lip wagging terrified. “D-Do something, princess! Run him through!” “I can’t! No killing!” I shot back, also afraid. As fate would have it, that’s the moment I got yet another idea. The sword was set ablaze again the moment I uttered those words, and I began to see a connection. It only goes on fire when I won’t use it to hurt other people……. Comprehending that and wanting to get us the heck outta here, I lifted the sword up once more. The soldiers, thinking I might strike at them, backed up a little, but I hit the front of a great big ale barrel instead. Liquid immediately flooded everywhere and while no one got hurt, there was enough confusion after I struck a second barrel for Fflewddur and I to make a run for it. 

My heart leapt for joy when the front drawbridge- still down- came into view. We were near the exit. And the voices previously chasing us had died down a bit. We both knew they were still looking for us and would likely be here soon, but we at least had a quiet moment to ourselves. I heaved a couple of times and turned my head so to face Fflewddur’s. 

“Where’s the black cauldron?” I questioned him. He blinked to me in astonishment. “Why I……. I don’t know. Somehow here in the castle, I’d presume. But why do you want to know where the black cauldron is?” I didn’t answer his query, instead grabbing his hand and thrusting the sword into it. This made Fflewddur’s face go white in shock, confusion, and dismay. 

“Take this and get yourself out. Go eastward for two days and you’ll reach the coast. There’s a ship called the Argo docked there; its passengers will help you,” I directed. Fflewddur’s lips trembled uncontrollably. “B-But I can’t use this! I’m a bard; you’re the warrior! The sword will wield for you; we must stay together!” Fflewddur’s sentence was cut short by a slew of enraged and determined voices fast approaching the front gate. He looked to check and when he blinked back, he saw to his horror that I was nowhere to be seen. “Princess? I say, princess? Princess!” 

Those were the last words I heard from Fflewddur. I was already around a corner and running down a seemingly vacant hall. Now that I was once again free and alone, I had one objective in mind: find the black cauldron and free all the adults inside. And no one would stop me in my quest this time.


	36. The Black Cauldron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal dies.

(Author’s Note: This is not the last chapter- I promise!) 

My mind was sort of numb all the time I raced through the empty halls. It appeared all attention was turned to the front gate; it was a good job I gave Fflewddur the sword before we parted. I didn’t think about anything except for locating the black cauldron. I suppose my brain might have shut down all other thoughts because in truth, these were going to be my last few minutes alive. I didn’t want to be reminded that the last place I’d ever visit or die in would be the Horned King’s castle……. That, and the fact that I’d never see my father, Harry, and every loved one again. Instead I simply ran about, checking each room I passed by from behind the doorway. 

It took me a while but soon enough I found this vacant room. This room felt……. different, off somehow; it was unlike the others. And I realized why when I peered inside. There, residing right centre of the chamber, was this massive black cauldron. From the moment I saw it, I immediately knew it was “the black cauldron”. It had this aura about it, and not in a good sense. It radiated evilness and villainy, like it wanted to do harm to any individual who encountered it. It was big, round, and weathered. On the front of the cauldron was the face of a man imprinted- he did not look happy. I stood there, staring at the evilest object I’d ever seen; the item currently imprisoning our parents…….. 

I won’t lie, my feet trembled as I slowly approached it. For an object so precious to the Horned King, it was surprising unguarded. Not a soul was in here except for me. That didn’t make it any easier though. The closer I got to the cauldron, the more this sinking feeling of despair grew inside of me. It seemed the cauldron was beckoning me to it, excited for what was about to transpire. I examined it for what felt to be a long time and a fleeting moment. I’m honestly not sure how long I remained there, staring down into it. Just looked like an empty piece of cookery from here, but it was evident that it was anything but. My lips parted on their own accord; my eyes lowered softly. I did it…….. I can’t believe I’ve actually found the black cauldron. I’ve done what I’ve set out to do- I’ll get the adults back. My journey from the Isle of the Lost won’t have been in vain……. A single teardrop dripped down my cheek as I reminded myself to breathe. 

Figuring that climbing into the cauldron didn’t seem like a viable option, I reasoned that I’d have to jump in somehow. Understanding that, I turned my attention upwards toward the ceiling. Lucky for me, some broken wooden beams were still up there, high enough for me to jump off from and positioned right overtop the cauldron’s mouth. It wasn’t difficult getting up to this one beam in particular. I used broken and rotted notches in the wood to climb up. Once up there, I steadied myself to walk onto the beam; it was still secure into the stone wall so I could move on it would worry of it breaking underneath me. 

My feet shuffled along while I held both arms out at my sides. One minute later I was standing at the edge of the beam, staring down into the black abyss of the cauldron. Again, my mouth opened on its own. I honestly think I was too emotional in that moment to cry, though this overwhelming feeling of sorrow and dread flooded through me. Seriously, I was drowning in it that moment. I took a second to consider my situation for the first time since I started out on this whole excursion. 

I wonder what dying will be like. Probably horrible and tortuous, if I was going off what the witches told me. I suppose it’ll be like going to sleep forever. I already saw where I’m going to wind up- in that river with every other dead soul on earth. Well, almost. Perhaps my soul would become one of the restless ones always crawling and trying to reach the surface of the River Styx. Then again, I might be at eternal peace…….. knowing that Daddy was free and well. My bottom lip began to tremble as I truly comprehended for the first time that I’d never see my father again. 

That’s right, my eyes lowered. The last time I saw him was back in our house on the island. He had just woken up from a nap on the couch and commented on cousin Ares’s gift to me. I told him I loved him before I left to go out on a walk…… That was the last thing I said to him: I love you. [“Your life-line is so short. Hades is immortal, you forget; your existence is but a blink of an eye in his life. You will die soon enough, and he will go on without you.”] My lips finally shut as my eyes softened ever so tenderly. Tenderly and in understanding…….. 

Turns out the Fates were right; they were right all along. My life was so short compared to Daddy’s…….. He’s going to have to go on without me, but we knew this day was coming anyway. Besides, that doesn’t change anything- not a single, solitary thing. Regardless how much it hurts or how my soul reacts to being thrust into the underworld, I wouldn’t change a thing- I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. My hand rose up to my pounding heart. I love you, Daddy…….. I love you so much. It doesn’t matter that I’m mortal and you’re immortal; you’re still my father. You raised me, you loved me first- you always saw me as your daughter even though I was mortal and liable to die. And I will never stop loving you. I don’t care if its fleeting……. No matter what happens to me, you’ll go on with the knowledge that your daughter- your only child- loved you. You’ll always have my love with you, no matter how many years go by…….. I love you, Daddy. I really, truly do. 

I shut my eyes and lowered both hands down at my sides. My breathing became low and silent. My feet started to slowly inch forward. The final thoughts I had while still alive were of Harry and Daddy. My eyes winced shut as I felt the edge of the wood with the front of my left foot. Harry……… Daddy. With the deepest breath I’ve ever taken in my life- the deepest and last- I suddenly felt myself falling through the air. I thought that I’d land into the cauldron, mangling my body in the process, but it wasn’t like that at all. 

From the moment my being fell through the top of the black cauldron, it was like I landed into a vast, endless, still ocean. The water went down below me seemingly forever. My hair flew up all above me as my limbs rose towards the surface. But there would be no one to save me this time. I didn’t drown; it wasn’t the same as drowning. It was more akin to passing out. It didn’t hurt, much to my astonishment. But I didn’t survive- my mind was the first to go. Once my soul had left my body, the darkness set to work destroying me; first limb by limb, then inch by inch, and then cell by cell. By the time the cauldron was done, there was no physical remanence of me left in existence. Not that I knew this. No, from the moment I touched the sea of blackness, my soul left me, and it was like falling into a dreamless sleep. The best way to describe it is like the time before you are born. You just aren’t “there”. And I wasn’t there. In a matter of seconds, I completely disappeared from earth, body and soul. 

All traces of me- Mal, daughter of Hades, princess of the underworld- vanished into thin air.


	37. The Day The Adults Returned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the adults wake up in the Horned King's castle, only to be shocked and dismayed at their predicament.

No One's P.O.V.-

The first to flutter his eyes open was Hades. He found himself laying on some grimy hard floor which didn't feel familiar. His hands felt around him as he began regaining consciousness; it was like waking up from the world's deepest sleep. At first, he assumed he was in his house, since that was the last place he remembered being, but that belief dispelled the more aware he became. The deity rubbed his eyes and sat up, shocked to discover that he was in some new unknown location. What was even more alarming was the fact that every other adult he could think of- minus the divine members of his family- were passed out there with him.

Around the time Hades gawked at everyone surrounding him in a similar situation, Belle and her husband were waking up. Belle first rubbed her head, let out a small moan, and blinked up stunned. She began to violently shake the beast. "Honey! Honey! Wake up! We're not at home! Wake up!" The beast eyes took their time to open, but when they did, he started to panic as well. "What happened?" He kept looking around totally confused. The other adults came to rather fast now, all looking and acting as startled and confused. Every grown up was present with the exception of Honest John, the kitty, the coachman, Stromboli, and Sykes.

"Where are we?" Eric rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "I… I don't know!" Cinderella gasped. "Doesn't look like we're in Auradon anymore," Mulan noted. That's when Belle and the beast noticed all the villains there with them. "Hey! Where're you doing here? How'd you get off the island?!" "I… don't know?" The evil queen looked to Jafar, equally perplexed. "Where is this place? How'd we all get down here?" Dr. Facilier pondered while glancing about. "I don't remember a thing," Ariel added her two cents. "Does anyone remember anything? Anything at all?" Tarzan inquired. "No." "I can't." "Nope." "The last thing I remember was going to bed at home." "Then how in the blue blazes did we get down here?!" Sir Ector bellowed; his son, Kay, also looked angry.

"Where is "here"?" The professor, Tarzan's father-in-law, scratched the back of his head. Everyone glanced around again, this time a lot more carefully. "Looks like we're in some sort of kitchen," Merlin suggested. "It's possible; there's a cauldron in here," Edgar said. "Oh, who'd use that thing to cook in?" Merryweather scoffed dismissively. "Forget where we are. How did all of us get here? I thought there was a barrier around the Isle of the Lost?" Phoebus questioned. "There is, or… there was at least," Fairy Godmother stated. "Hey, don't look at us! We had nothing to do with this," LeFou announced.

Belle suddenly thought of something- something important. She turned to her husband with concern. "Honey, the kids!" This set off a wave rippling through everyone. All- or most- of the parents started looking around panicked. "Ben?!" "Evie?!" "Jane!" "Audrey?! Honey?!" No response or sight of any children. "They're not here," Prince Charming finally declared. "Good, they're still in Auradon and the Isle of the Lost," Bella sighed. Hades also let out a relieved sigh; he didn't want Mal anywhere near this place, wherever it was.

Milo stood up and brushed himself off. "Now all we gotta figure is how to get out of here." Others nodded in agreement. "And how to get back home. I still have no idea how we all could have got here; it doesn't seem physically possible," Quasimodo hummed. "Hey, Herc, Triton. Maybe you two could, you know, ask your dads for help? Hey? Get us outta here? What'd ya say?" Hades asked his nephews, who both looked back at him in disgust. The lord of the underworld immediately raised up his hands in a show of no ill-will. "Ok, ok; I get it. You're still salty about the whole "me trying to take over the world" thing. I hear ya loud and clear." "We'll have to find our own way outta here it seems," Naveen reasoned. "And how do you expect us to do that? We have nothing here with us," Yzma shot back. "She's right," Amos Slade concurred. "What are we going to do?" Jasmine asked Aladdin.

Before Aladdin could answer his wife, a sudden and furious voice caught them all by surprise. "What?! No! How did you break free?!" Everyone's heads shot over to the horned man in a dark red robe standing at the room's doorway. Snow White and Aurora screamed while all the warriors present got into a defensive position. The irate Horned King didn't hesitate to barge into the room, not acting threatened by anyone standing in front of him. His bony hands rose to shake in an enraged fashion.

"How did you escape the black cauldron?! It should have held you until I was in need of an army! My plan should have worked! It was perfect! Who could have snuck passed me and satisfied the cauldron's hunger?!" It took everyone a second to process what the Horned King was yammering on about. It was Merlin who first blinked in comprehension. "You…! You mean to tell us that you trapped us inside…. Inside a…. a cauldron?" It sounded stupid saying it out loud. "Really?" Triton blinked beyond shocked. "How did you manage that?" Mowgli scratched his head confused. The Horned King ignored them, continuing on with his fiery ramblings. "It should have worked! My magic is too powerful! It should have held you until I summoned you out!"

Initial confusion and stun soon turned to anger. Gaston, Shan Yu, Ursula, and Rourke were particularly peeved. "You're telling me that you abducted me, only to use me in your army like some sort of mindless slave?" Rourke growled. "I don't like being kidnapped or imprisoned, asshole. I've already been casted away once before; I'm not keen on doing it again," Gaston proclaimed next. "How dare you steal us away from our homes?! I don't care how powerful you are! We have children back home!" Fairy Godmother shouted. "And all to enslave us into some army! The nerve!" Anita cried. "Why you… you fiend! Using your magic for evil! You should be ashamed!" Merlin shook his fist in the air. "I don't know who you are or how you did that, but you just made a grave mistake," Jafar announced. "Off with his head!" The Queen of Hearts ordered at the top of her lungs.

Mulan, Aladdin, Phillip, Gaston, Shan Yu, and a handful of particularly powerful people present readied themselves to go take down the Horned King. But before any of them could move, the atmosphere of the whole room changed. It became darker, heavier. All present turned around to the back this time; some stepping out of the way as the figure slowly made his way through the room. All noise vanished for a moment and everyone wore a puzzled and humbled expression. Merlin was the last to look- only his face lit up with relief. "Ah, master! You're here too! This villain seems to be the one responsible for all this mess!" He pointed to the Horned King as his master continued coming forward.

The man Merlin referred to as "master" was one of the oldest and most powerful mortal on earth; only the black cauldron and the magic of the gods was stronger than him. A tall man with a long grey beard appeared. He was wearing a long blue roam and pointy blue hat. While all eyes were on him, the ancient wizard only watched the Horned King. His face was its usual stoic expression. Up behind him ran his apprentice, Mickey Mouse, in his red robe; he looked concerned as to what might happen next.

For the first time since he arrived, the Horned King actually acted startled and afraid of this sorcerer. He had made the terrible mistake of trapping such a powerful being into the cauldron, and now knew that he'd have to pay for it. On the old wizard's part, he merely approached the Horned King without sound; his lips were a simple, thin, flat line. Terror struck the Horned King when he was mere feet away from him.

[Once upon a time, there was this great and mighty sorcerer.] 

"No! You'll not have me!" The Horned King howled. The sorcerer raised up his hand in a calm yet serious manner. This was this aura about him just then…..

[One night in the middle of the Dark Ages, while practicing magic in his underground lab, he saw the mind of a young girl. She said to him "I'm going to the Horned King's castle to find the black cauldron."]

The Horned King kept booming as others soon realized what was going on. Other magical entities came to join the old wizard, circling the Horned King in an attack formation. Hands, wands, and staffs were raised up- all pointed at their target. "No! My power cannot die! You cannot do this!" The sorcerer narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.

[Without knowing when or where, the sorcerer knew the girl whom he saw that night would be imperative to defeating the evil magic of the black cauldron. And so, he waited until the day would come when she was born.]

Everyone watched in horror as the Horned King began to physically melt away. He shrieked like a banshee the whole time, whaling his arms around. "No! I cannot die! No! I've won! I've won the war! No! Curse you! Curse you!" First his dark cloak disappeared, revealing this gruesome skeleton form. Next to go were his glowing red eyes. Finally, his bones crackled, breaking down into dust. By the time all the witches and wizards were done with him, there was not a speck of dust or a sound of a whisper left. One last echo of his bellowing cry rang out through the castle, and at last it was silent.

[He kept an eye on the girl and preserved her. Like raising a lamb for slaughter, he maintained her life until the time when she would sacrifice herself to the black cauldron. He understood from the first moment he saw her, that she'd give her life so he might keep his.

And he did nothing to stop her.]


	38. Tragedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids finally meet up with their parents again- all except for Hades.

No One’s P.O.V.- 

The moment the Horned King was vanquished, the castle started to rumble. All the adults looked at each other, all thinking the same thing. This castle was coming down and it was coming down fast. “Run……. Everyone, run!” The beast yelled. A slurry of feet made a mad scramble for the door. They were surprised to see a bunch of confused and frightened soldiers also running about in the hallways. “The castle’s collapsing!” One shouted. “Let’s get outta here!” Another tacked on. 

The castle did fall, brick by brick. Luckily everyone made it out alright before the final tower came crashing down. The grey stones and all their wears fell into the water far down below. The only thing that remained by the end of it was the black cauldron, perched up on the highest point of the ground. No one said anything for the first few moments, instead gawking at the space where a decrepit castle once stood. Now there was nothing except for a cauldron- a cauldron which no one from Auradon or the Isle of the Lost knew the significance of. 

“Are you alright?” The beast asked Belle. She nodded, a little shaken. Outside didn’t look familiar to any of them at all. The soldiers, now realizing that their boss was dead, immediately took off into the trees. “Let’s go!” The biggest brute told the others. They ran until the only ones who remained were not native to Prydain. The adults just stayed there, utterly dumbfounded and with no clue what to do next. 

The quiet didn’t last long, however. “Mom?! Dad?!” The adults spun around to see the remaining passengers of the Argo fast approaching where the castle would have been. Their eyes lit up upon seeing their children. “Ben!” Belle ran towards Ben with open arms. She caught him and they embraced, soon joined by the beast. “Audrey!” Aurora hugged her daughter. “Jane!” “Oh, Mom! You’re back!” Jane ran into her mother’s arms. “Dad!” “Jay!” Jafar caught Jay. “Daddy!” “Baby girl!” Freddie found her father. Even Uma gave her mom a hug. Evie told Cruella de Vil and Drizella that their kids stayed behind to watch over the animals in Auradon. While all the parents were embracing their children, Hades eagerly looked around for his daughter. “Mal? Mal?” Wearing a smile on his face, his eyes kept searching. 

Harry wasn’t looking for his dad when he got to the castle, but he hugged his nonetheless when they ran into each other. Captain Hook held his son close. “My boy, my little pirate,” he cooed, showing his sentimental side for once. “Good to have you back, dad,” Harry said, but his eyes were wandering elsewhere. Hades and Harry were looking for the same person. 

“How did you get here?” Belle asked Ben. “We sailed here on the Argo,” he explained. “The Argo? My father’s ship?” Triton’s eyebrow raised up puzzled. “How did you……..?” Cinderella began to ask. “Mal asked her uncle if we could use it,” Evie said. “Yeah, where is she?” Harry asked, still scanning around. 

The colour drained from Hades’s face; his smile began to fade. “You mean she’s not with you?” He asked the other kids with a hint of worry in his tone. In a domino effect, Hades’s question in turn alarmed the kids, who now looked very concerned. “N-No? She came on ahead……. Wait, she’s not here?” Jay inquired. Both Harry and Hades now looked very, very anxious.

“How did you guys escape the cauldron?” Doug asked no one in particular. “We……. didn’t? I mean, I don’t think we did anything,” Arthur replied. “We just……. woke up here,” Prince Charming eluded. “Well, no. You’ve had to escape the black cauldron somehow. You couldn’t have just pulled yourselves out,” Uma stated. “Where’s Mal? You haven’t seen her?” Harry’s voice was more than a little peppered with worry. “Why isn’t she with you? Like…… did she come here on her own?” Hades’s questioned. “Why would she do that?” Jasmine added. 

“Hey! You! You there!” All heads spun in the direction of an oncoming bard; he was dragging a sword along the ground behind him. “It’s a bard,” Merlin noted. “May we help you, sir?” The beast went to greet him. “I say, where did all of you come from? Were you prisoners of the Horned King too? And…… what happened to the castle?!” Fflewddur suddenly sounded alarmed. The beast peered at the ruins then back at the bard. “It uh……. it just…… collapsed on its own,” he struggled in his response. Fflewddur sputtered a bit nervously. “Oh dear; I hope she got out alright.” This caught the beast’s attention. “Who?” 

“I’m looking for a girl- a princess. She left me right before we were about to escape the Horned King’s castle.” Hades’s eyes widened in horror, as did Harry’s. “This girl……. what was her name?” “Why, she never told me. She was looking for the black cauldron last I saw her.” “What?!” All the kids’ eyes grew shocked. “S-She was looking for the cauldron?” Evie asked, clearly scared. “Y-Yes, that’s why she left me, I assume.” “What did she look like?” Ben inquired in a much louder voice. “Oh well, slender girl; purple hair, dark clothes. Very pretty.” Harry looked like he wanted to throw up. Fflewddur thought to himself again, mulling over everything. 

“Where did you all come from again?” “We’re from Auradon and the Isle of the Lost. That Horned King man apparently kidnapped and trapped us all inside his cauldron- that one over there,” the beast pointed to it up on the mound. Fflewddur’s cheeks grew pale. “N-Not that cauldron? Not the black cauldron?” His shakily pointed over to it. A confused beast simply nodded his head. The bard let out a horrified gasp, clutching both sides of his face. “But…… no! She couldn’t have…….! She wouldn’t…….!” 

Now all the adults present were worried, especially a speechless Hades. “Wouldn’t have what?” A frightened Belle ventured to ask. “W-Well in order to stop the black cauldron’s magic, one must jump inside it……..” “So?” Gaston shrugged his shoulders. “So, once someone goes inside the cauldron, they……..” Fflewddur couldn’t bring himself to finish his explanation, and he didn’t have to. All eyes painfully returned to the ware of cookery. Hades’s eyes had never been so big before. His body felt completely numb as he stared at the silent cauldron; his mouth agape. “Mal!” Harry tried to race over to it, but his father caught him by the arm. “No! Don’t touch it!” Captain Hook yelled at his now crying son. 

Hades didn’t cry- he was in too state of shock to cry. As his eyes remained locked onto the cauldron, his legs broke underneath him. He fell to his knees before he had consciousness of what was going on. He just couldn’t mentally comprehend that Mal was gone……. He knew deep down that this day was coming, that he’d someday have to watch her die…….. but not like this; never like this. She was still so young, so innocent. She had a life to live, several more journeys to go on, adventures to have……. And now she’d forever be dead inside a cauldron. Well, not exactly; Hades knew where her mortal soul would wind up. It was unbearable to picture her spirit floating forever in the River Styx…….. 

While Hades was having a literal mental breakdown, the other adults were now processing what had happened. Aurora blinked in confusion. “A VK saved us?” “How is that possible? Isn’t she supposed to be a villain?” Prince Charming scratched the side of his head. Meanwhile the beast and his wife kept watching a distraught Hades, who was currently kneeling in front of the black cauldron. “Oh, honey,” Belle glanced to her husband sadly. 

Hades couldn’t take his eyes off the cauldron. He still felt numb everywhere. This was a totally new and powerful pain; this was a king of pain Hades had never experienced before and didn’t know was possible to feel. He wanted his daughter back; he wanted Mal in his arms. More than anything, even more than his desire had been to conquer the world, Hades wanted to see Mal again. He didn’t know it was possible to want something so much before, and he would have given anything right then and there to have his daughter back. Without her even trying, she had become the centre of his world, after all.


	39. In A Familiar Place With Familiar Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal wakes up in a familiar place, only to meets three familiar faces.

Mal's P.O.V.-

I regained consciousness from what felt like the world's longest sleep. My eyes gradually opened to reveal a not-so-light room. It took me some time to realize that I was laying on a floor- that and the fact that I was entirely naked. Gathering the strength I needed, I slowly lifted my upper half off the ground, only to see where I was. I knew this place….. I've been here before; before I left for Prydain.

I found myself laying on my side in my father's old battle planning room in his underworld castle. This was where I first met the Fates…. Speaking of the Fates. I heard their cackling from the side of the room; my head turned to see the three sisters standing there watching me. The tall one had a long piece of gold string in her fingers, and the short one sported a pair of old scissors. Despite being completely nude, I didn't feel an inch of embarrassment. I was much too confused to worry about that. "Well, it's about time you woke up," the medium one declared.

"What am I doing in here?" My tired voice asked while I rubbed one of my eyes. I still felt sleepy, for some odd reason. "What are you doing in here?" The short one reiterated. "I died." "Who says that you are dead knows not at all," the medium one said, making me blink to her startled. Seeing the perplexed look on my face, they went on to explain. "We've tried cutting your thread of life, but it's covered in gold," the tall one showed me. "Gold?!" My eyes widened astonished. They nodded. "Weren't you wearing gold when you leapt so foolishly into the cauldron? Divine gold?" I considered it for a moment, only for my eyes to grow huge. My jaw dropped in disbelief. "The golden fleece….."

They all nodded again. "You forget, the magic of the gods is more potent than any mortal power." "I forgot…." My lips sputtered, still shocked beyond compare. "You wore Ares's golden fleece when you died. So instead of you descending into the River Styx, your body was brought here to be reassembled," the tall one told me. "Your soul soon joined it," the short one added. "I didn't…. die then?" "Mmmmm, but you are not living either," the medium one corrected me. I blinked once again in total and utter confusion; my hand rose up to my chest. "But then…..?"

"It is you to up, Mal- daughter of Hades. Do you wish to return to the world of the living?" The tall one asked. My jaw dropped a second time; this time with much more hope. "You mean, I-I…. I can go back?!" A clever smile drew across her lips. "The magic of the gods is more powerful than the black cauldron," was her only reply. "The golden fleece will protect you if you wish to go back," the medium one made sure to add.

While it took me a while, I managed to get my footing and stand up. At first, I looked at the three Fates, then I went over to a wide, glassless window in the room. I could see the river from up here. Cerberus was down there, and so was my relative Charon. As if he could sense me watching him, he stopped rowing the barge to gaze up at me. We stared at each other for a moment; my eyes lowering upon him. Then, I gently spun to face the sisters, who had been observing me this whole time. "I am still mortal, and cannot stay down here like this, can I?" "No. Your soul will either go into the River Styx, or you'll return to the mortal world." My eyes rolled downward, though I didn't need to think about it. I never had to think about it to begin with. I already knew; it was obvious. My stare rose up to lock into their single shared eye. "I want to go back."


	40. Mal, Princess of the Underworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal returns to earth, but not for long.

(Author's Note: This is the last official chapter of the story, but don't worry! There will be an epilogue)

"Mal…. Mal…"

I know that voice…. I know that voice! What was the sensation of swimming up through the seemingly bottomless, boundless ocean inside the black cauldron. I heard a voice calling to me from the depths, and all I had to do was swim towards it. When I was close enough to the surface, my hand formulated out of the darkness, stretching up to grab the rim of the cauldron. The caster iron felt cold and hard against my palm, but it was strong until for me to pull myself up with. Using both hands, I dragged myself out of that endless black sea, filling the air of the earth caress me once again. My lungs filled with what felt like my very first breath, which I suppose it was considering my rebirth. From the moment the air entered my body, all the water underneath me abruptly evaporated, leaving my feet standing on the bottom of an empty pot. Once in that position, I stood up- I stood up out from the black cauldron.

While still inside the cauldron, I gazed out at everything in front of me. A few things didn't hit me right away, like the fact that the castle was gone or that I was wearing nothing but cousin Ares's golden fleece. Luckily for me, it was long enough to just cover everything- only just. While the fleece was a spotless, pristine gold, the rest of my body was dirty from the black water I just swam through. There I was, naked for the golden fleece and blotchy with dark patches. But I didn't even take notice of my appearance. I never even thought once as to where the Horned King's castle went. All I paid attention to was the sea of people in front of me, all gawking up at me with unspeakable surprise. I glanced them over, but my eyes immediately froze on the individual closest to me- the one currently kneeling in front of the cauldron…. The one who kept calling my name. He looked as stunned, confusion, and above all, overjoyed as I was.

"Mal…" "Daddy….. Daddy!" In the blink of an eye, I catapulted myself out of the cauldron. Daddy was just standing back up, stretching out his arms for me when I ran right into him. We were both already crying, holding each other tighter than we ever have. Daddy put one hand on the back of my head, resting his onto my shoulder. "Mal; Mally….. My baby girl; my sweet little Mally," Daddy whispered in between cries. I didn't say anything, just kept my face buried into his chest. Daddy! Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Finally, after all this time, I have my Daddy back! I was able to see my father again! The very thought made me weep and cling to him even more.

After simply embracing one another for a very, very long time, Daddy let out a glorious laugh- much like the laugh Peter Pan gave when we returned from Pleasure Island. Still laughing without constraint, he picked me up with his arms still wrapped around me and spun me around several times. "Oh, my baby girl! My Mally!" He repeated over and over. When he finally set me down onto my feet and pulled away a little so we could look into each other's eyes. I smiled, and so did he. Daddy's hand rose up to press against my left cheek; my hand came to rest overtop his. Tears continued dribbling down from my eyes. I shut them for a second, only to reopen them so tenderly. "I love you, Daddy…." Daddy's eyes lowered so softly down onto me. "I know, sweetheart; I know."

"Mal?" We blinked to see Belle and the beast take a step nearer to us. Belle was crying happy tears as well, and the beast looked so entirely grateful. Belle raised her clasped hands up to her chest. "Thank you, Mal, for what you did….. Thank you." I smiled back at her, giving her a gentle nod, and that's when I saw my friends. Evie was the first one I spotted directly; she had tears flowing down her cheeks too. "Evie?" "Mal!" Daddy retracted his arms so I could run over to her.

Evie and I collided, throwing our arms round the other. "You're alive! You're really alive!" She exhaled breathlessly. "Mal!" The next one to arrive was Ben, who lifted me up off the ground with his hug. Jay was after him, grabbing me in a hug from behind. Practically everyone from the Argo held me- even Uma and Gil. I had embraced everyone I journeyed with… well, almost everyone. After Jay and Evie gave me another hug, Evie released me and all my friends stepped out of the way, clearing a path to someone very important…. Someone very important and looking at straight at me.

Harry didn't say anything; just walked up to me through the break in our friend huddle. He stopped when he was right in front of me, doing nothing but staring down into my eyes. His expression wasn't one of anger, but rather of the purest, most unadulterated honest relief. I didn't utter a word either, instead merely smiling up at him. As my grin organically widened, Harry breathed in the longest inhale I'd ever seen. Mirroring my smile and without having to make a sound, we simultaneously flung our arms around each other. I could practically hear him smiling, his was that sincere. Holding me as close as humanly possible, Harry felt it safe enough to breathe. Then his lips parted a sliver. "Mal….." My arms clung to him- this man I love so much. "Harry."

Despite the two of us being relatively quiet, the noise around us picked up fast. "Way to go, Mal!" "You did it!" "I can't believe you survived the black cauldron!" "What happened to you?" "You saved us all!" "Where'd your clothes go?" A steady stream of voices filled the air. One voice in particular caught my attention. With Harry's arms still wrapped around me, I checked to see my cousin Hercules, his wife Megara, and Phil all standing nearby. Hercules flashed me a dazzling smile. "Thanks, Cuz." I grinned back, leaning my head against Harry's chest when I responded: "You're welcome." "You really did it, kid. You're a hero, just like your cousin," Phil announced. "A hero?" My eyebrow perked up. I'd never thought of myself as that before. Meanwhile Harry took the opportunity to kiss my forehead; a long, passionate kiss. My smile grew as I closed my eyes, letting myself lean into his lips.

Literally moments Harry had kissed me, the ground beneath all our feet started rumbling. Harry didn't hesitate to wrap his arms protectively around my waist while everyone else began to panic. "What's happening?!" "What's going on?!" "An earthquake?!" "Mal!" Daddy rushed over to my side, where I reached out a hand to hold his. The violent shaking carried on for another minute or two, then suddenly stopped. The clouds in the sky parted into two, and a stream of white poured down from high above. Daddy's, Hercules's, and my eyes widened in realization. A bright, majestic, golden stream of light shown down; it eliminated all the entities descending from Olympus. We watched all of my divine relatives come into view one-by-one.

I couldn't believe my eyes! Everyone was here! All the relatives who had helped me and watched me throughout my childhood. They were all actually here! It was my first time seeing them in the physicality like this. They paraded down onto Prydain soil, each glowing their divine light. The last to show up were my uncle Zeus and aunt Hera. Instead of addressing me or Daddy first, they turned to their son. Aunt Hera grinned at Hercules softly. "We're so glad you're alright, Hercules," she told him. "Thanks, Mom," he replied. Then, like a flip was switched, all of the deities's gazes were on me.

Aunt Hera raised her arms up for me. I let go of Harry and Daddy to respectfully approach her. She was a goddess and the queen of Olympus, after all. But she warmly accepted me into her embrace. "Mal, we're so proud of you." "Aunt Hera…" I sighed. "Fine work, niece! We did well with this one. She's just like her cousin- a true hero," Uncle Zeus hugged me next. It was like hugging the world's strongest teddy bear; I like the way his beard tickled my cheeks. "Yep! I always said she took after our side of the family!" Grandfather Cronus exclaimed. "A regular chip off the old vase!" Cousin Hephaestus remarked. "We couldn't have done better with her," Uncle Zeus nodded affirmingly.

Daddy frowned. "Uh, I had something to do with raising her too," he protested by lifting up an arm. Uncle Zeus's grin instantly vanished when he locked eyes with my father. "Hades," he scowled. "Zeus, baby. How're doing? How long's it been? You know, since you imprisoned me on that hellhole of an island," Daddy shot back with his usual snark. This only caused Uncle Zeus to scoff even more. "I don't know how you fathered a daughter like Mal, brother. She clearly took after her Olympian relations." "Hey! She's like me where it counts! She definitely inherited my determination," Daddy's thumb stuck into his chest. Aunt Hera chuckled a bit. "I'll give you that," she said before turning back to face me. Her hands rested kindly on my shoulders as she smiled in that motherly fashion.

"We came so we could personally thank you, Mal, for all you have done." "O-Oh! W-Well, you're welcome," I don't know why I was stumbling over my words. She seemed charmed by this; the edges of her grin growing slightly. "And to thank you from saving our son and daughter-in-law from an eternity of enslavement, your uncle and I want to give you a reward." I blinked, a little startled. "A….. reward?" I reiterated. She nodded and uncle Zeus gave me another firm pat on the back. "No one deserves it more than you, niece!" I couldn't help but waver; this was not at all what I had expected. I bit my bottom lip lightly as my eyes scrolled out into space for a moment.

"But I didn't do this for a reward. All I wanted was my father back," I eventually said. You could hear Daddy "awe" from here. But my aunt and uncle were unwavering. "We know that, dear. But we want to offer you one, nonetheless. Please, Mal, if you want anything…." Anything…. I was about to say "no, thank you", until I thought of something. Something that would change my life forever, but necessary in my eyes. After waiting a minute, I drew in a deep, deep breath, readying myself to ask for the seemingly impossible and forbidden.

"Actually, there is something….. I want some ambrosia," I held my breath as I asked. Not only my aunt and uncle, but all my Greek relatives looked stunned. Aunt Hera's lips stumbled slightly. "You…. wish to become a god?" "Not for my sake. But while I was trying to find out what happened to all the adults, I met my relatives in the underworld. I never knew what Daddy's banishment meant for them, but I think…. that if I go and rule the underworld in Daddy's place, I can help them."

Aunt Hera was very shocked, but not in a bad way. Her glowing pink hand rose up to her chest. "You want to rule the underworld?" "Only in practice, yes. Daddy will still be Lord of the Underworld, but I will be its princess." "Mal…. Do you know what you are asking?" I nodded without a second thought. "Yes. Please, Auntie and Uncle. I care for Thanatos and Charon; I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. They've helped me; now it's my turn, so they aren't the ones doomed to slavery for all eternity. Daddy's sins shouldn't fall on them, and as his daughter, I want to make it right."

There was a lengthy and profound silence. The gods looked at each other in consideration. Meanwhile Daddy had his eyes glued on me speechless. Eventually though, he found the will to rush over to me and take hold of my hand. He made me face him. "Mally, honey! Do you know what you're saying?! If you drink ambrosia, you'll live forever! You'll be immortal! Wait…. You'll be immortal? You'll never die then… Hey, yeah! Did hear her, Zeus?! Give her the damn ambrosia! She's earned it! Think of what she did for your son!" Daddy shouted while wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I proceeded to flash him a sad smile.

"If I do this, I'll have to move to the underworld, Daddy." Daddy's eyes shown down on me, as if he was just grasping this himself. But soon enough he grinned, giving my hand a squeeze. "That's ok, sweetie. As a free god, you'll be able to come and go as you please. We'll still see each other lots; you can come visit me on the island anytime," a tear rolled down from my eyes which Daddy wiped away with his thumb. His eyes couldn't have lowered onto mine in a more loving manner….. "Heh, plus something tells me Thanatos will like having you for a boss more than me." I chuckled, giving Daddy another hug. Then we parted and I faced my Greek relatives once more, full of confidence in my decision now. Aunt Hera and Uncle Zeus also had different, knowing expressions; my uncle actually had a twinkle in his eye.

"Mal, dear, are you sure this is what you want?" "Yes, Aunt Hera." My aunt and uncle glanced at one another, then back to me with a grin. "I'm sure your cousins will be very grateful. Because you are our niece, we will grant you the ambrosia. And, to reward your bravery and kindness in saving the mortals, we shall give you two bottles of the drink of the gods." "Two bottles? But I only need…"

It hit me like a speeding train. The second vial wasn't meant for me; their gift to me was letting me give immortality to somebody else. I spun to go over to a terrified Harry, grabbing his hand and hook. "Mal…..?" He began, but I already knew what he was going to say. He would say how he doesn't want me to do this and how I should return to the Isle of the Lost with him. However, I had something much, much better in mind. I gave his hand a tight squeeze; our eyes staring into the others.

"Drink the ambrosia with me, Harry. Become my husband and rule the underworld alongside me." "Mal!" Harry's jaw dropped, though I didn't take that as a bad sign. My smile only grew and grew. "I want you to come with me; come with me and live together forever side-by-side. You'll be the Prince of the Underworld; the Prince of Darkness." Everyone present- well, who was breathing anyway- held their breathes in anticipation. Harry didn't reply right away, instead electing to stare at me with the widest of eyes. Then, a gigantic smile drew across his lips as his face visibly relaxed. His fingers entwined with mine. "Hmmmmm, Prince of Darkness? I like the sound of that." Smiling a mile wide, Harry pulled me in for a hug. He looked to his dad at the same time. "Dad?" A shell-shocked Captain Hook peered at his men, who were likely all thinking the same thing. He grinned back at his son. "What kind of father would keep his son from living forever?"

Satisfied with Harry's father's answer, I went over to my aunt Hera to fetch the two bottles. They were slender and made of glass with a bright pink liquid inside. I brought them over to Harry and gave him one of the vials. Our arms holding the vials interlaced; we shut our eyes and pressed our foreheads together for a moment. Then we uncorked the bottles and consumed the ambrosia at the same time. Transforming into a god didn't feel like anything, but when we reopened our eyes, we were both glowing- me a light purple and Harry a dark red.

There, on the island of Prydain, where the Horned King's castle used to stand, in the shadow of the black cauldron, with everyone from Auradon, the Isle of the Lost, and Olympus looking on, Harry and I bent down on one knee and were crowned by my uncle Zeus as prince and princess of the underworld.

That's how I got my father and the other adults back, married the man of my dreams, and became the ruler of the largest kingdom in all existence.


	41. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades becomes the recorder for Auradon.

No One’s P.O.V.- (all italics is Hades’s handwriting)

[It has been eight years since we all returned from Prydain. Eight years since Ben’s father resigned and crowned Ben king of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost. Good thing they took down that barrier when we got back. 

I still don’t know why he thought I would be the best candidate for a recorder (hope you read this someday, Benny boy). Maybe it’s because I managed the underworld for so long. But as for my record, it has been a relatively good year. Evie and Doug have given birth to their second child, and Jane and Carlos gave the announcement of their pregnancy. King Ben is still upholding his vow of bachelorhood. He has made the rose the symbol on his own personal emblem. He said it reminds him of her. 

Princess Mal and Prince Harry travelled up to Olympus to attend the wedding of Harmonia and Cadmus. Dodger has come to live with me after Fagin unfortunately passed away. Mal is doing everything in her power to ensure that he has a pleasant rest in the afterlife. Cerberus doesn’t seem to be jealous- yet.] 

“Pappous, Pappous! Look at me!” Hades sighed, pausing his quill and rolling his eyes. He placed his elbow on the back of his chair as he glanced behind him. “Can’t you see Grandpa’s trying to write here, kid?” The boy was bouncing around marrying in Hades’s study, dragging Dyrnwyn along the ground with him. He also had King Rhydderch Hael’s emblem on the palm of his tiny right hand. 

“Look, Pappous! I’m a pirate!” Hades couldn’t help but smile at the boy. He reminded him so much of his own daughter when she was young. Plus, he was the sweetest little boy in the world; Hades could never stay mad at him for long. Still grinning to himself, the lord of the underworld turned back to his desk. “You sure are, Epaphus. Your “buried treasure” is in its usual place,” by buried treasure, Hades meant a piece of candy. Epaphus laughed and began running about the room again. Hades picked back up his quill to finish his record for the day. 

[Hades- Auradon Recorder; Father of Mal; Grandfather of Epaphus- God and Protector of Pirates]  
The End.


	42. Thank You For Reading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all my lovely readers!

Thank you so much for reading!

Writing this was a lot of fun. I hope you enjoyed the journey with me. If you want any Descendent stories in the future, please don't hesitate to let me know! I was kicking around the idea of a story where Mal is thrust into the world of Hayao Miyazaki films (love interest would be Howl from Howl's Moving Castle, and her father-like figures would be Porco from Porco Rosso and the Baron from the Cat's Return). Let me know what you think! If you have any other ideas, feel free to share them.

I want to thank all my readers again for your support. Lovely readers like you make me want to keep writing. Thank you and I hope you all stay well out there!

Best,

PonderRose


	43. Prequel!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prequel update!

Hey everyone! 

Just an update. I’m doing a prequel to this story! It’s called “The Day The VKs Disappeared”. It’s a shorter story of how Mal met Harry and the development of their romantic relationship before the first story begins. The title will also make sense near the end of the story. Mention of the coachman, Peter Pan, and the Cheshire Cat in it. 

Give it a read if you’re interested! Hope you enjoy!


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